ARTWORKS

Allegory of Virtue and Riches

Godfried Schalcken (1643–1706)

The National Gallery, London

Allegory of Virtue and Riches

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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A small, beady-eyed sparrow on one side of a set of scales heavily outweighs the gold and pearls which a weeping woman, two tears glistening on her cheeks, places in the other. Clearly, in the real word, this couldn't happen: the bird would be much the lighter than the jewellery. But this picture does not seek to depict the real world – it’s an allegorical painting and the sparrow is probably intended to represent virtue and true love. The moral is that no amount of gold and pearls can match the value of the woman’s virtue; her tears suggest that she has traded her virginity for jewels and expensive clothes, and now regrets her decision.

Ironically, this painting also has jewel-like qualities. It is tiny and painted on a copper plate, which allowed the artist to create an exceptionally fine, bright finish.

The National Gallery, London

London

Read more on The National Gallery, London
Title

Allegory of Virtue and Riches

Date

about 1667

Medium

Oil on copper

Measurements

H 17.1 x W 13.1 cm

Accession number

NG199

Acquisition method

Bequeathed by Richard Simmons, 1847

Work type

Painting

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Normally on display at

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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Artist or maker

Godfried Schalcken

1643–1706

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