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Avarice

Jacob Matham

1587

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

Avarice is a 1587 ink by Jacob Matham, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Jacob Matham
When & what style?: 1587 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image shows a woman clutching a heavy bag of coins, her face twisted in greed. She’s dressed in fancy robes, holding a small birdcage in one hand and a key in the other. Behind her, a tree and a rocky hillside look almost forgotten, like nature is fading away. The title *Avarice* hints this isn’t a real person—she’s a symbol for greed. The artist used sharp lines and shadows to make her look tense and desperate. Next, check out how this was made with engraving.