The Battle about Money
Original title: The Battle about Money
kurzbeschreibung
Pieter van der Heyden made the engraving "The Battle for Money" after 1570. In this allegorical print, struggling figures fight over coins and riches. It is the second of four states; the sheet measures 23.6 × 30.4 cm.
Description
Arms and blades sweep across the crowded field in every direction, pulling the eye into a knot of combatants in armor who wield sabers, lances and shields. At the front lie chests and scattered coins, tokens of greed and power. Bodies twist and strain in exaggerated motion, as is typical of Mannerism. The black-and-white engraving spreads light evenly, so the details of each figure stand out clearly.
Context
Van der Heyden, a sixteenth-century Flemish engraver, often worked from designs by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The print appeared during a period of religious and political tension in the Netherlands, when moralizing allegories were widespread. The date "after 1570" refers to the second edition; the first version was probably made earlier.
Impact
The packed surface leaves the viewer with a stifling, almost threatening feeling that sharpens the moral message. The restless figures and the coins placed at the center turn attention to the destructive force of money.
Technique
For this engraving, the lines were cut into the metal plate with a burin. Compared with the first state, the second shows altered or added lines, which suggests the plate was reworked. Printing was done in black ink on paper; the fine hatching gives the figures their sculptural presence.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)