Man Born to Toil, from The Reward of Labour and Diligence, plate 1

Philips Galle|Maarten van Heemskerck

1572 · Engraving, second state of four (New Hollstein) · Drawings and Prints

A baby representing mankind suckles at one of Natura’s seven breasts. Suspended in her vicinity is a giant sphere to which are stuck all manner of tools, as if magnetized. In medieval schools of thought, work involving the manipulation of matter, including the production of "artificial forms"—in other words, art—had not enjoyed the same status as pursuits such as philosophy and theology. This image attests to the newfound prestige accorded to the professional class in Europe, who over the course of the sixteenth century successfully argued for the value of labor and the virtues of work in support of a meaningful existence.

Artist

Philips Galle|Maarten van Heemskerck

Date

1572

Medium

Engraving, second state of four (New Hollstein)

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949