Marriage for Wealth, from Three Kinds of Marriages

Art Historical Context

Jan Saenredam, a masterful Dutch engraver active in Haarlem during the late th century, created *Marriage for Wealth* around 1595 as part of his series *Three Kinds Marriages*. This engraving wryly critiques societal unions driven by money rather than affection, reflecting the moral and themes popular in Northern European prints of the era. Saenredam's precise, intricate line work—characteristic of the Northern Mannerist style—captures expressive figures and symbolic details, such as ostentatious attire and coin-filled purses, to underscore the folly of mercenary matrimony. Rendered in black ink on cream laid paper, the 23.4 × 15.9 cm print exemplifies engraving's technical virtuosity. By incising lines into a metal plate and inking them for transfer, Saenredam achieved fine gradations of tone and texture, making high-quality multiples affordable for a wide audience. This medium democratized art during the Dutch Republic's early cultural flourishing, allowing moral allegories to reach households beyond elite patrons. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, this work highlights Saenredam's legacy as a reproductive engraver who collaborated with leading artists like Hendrick Goltzius. It invites visitors to ponder timeless questions about love, status, and value in relationships.

About the Artist

Jan Saenredam · 1565–1607

Jan Pieterszoon Saenredam (c. 1565–1607) emerged from humble beginnings in the Dutch village of Assendelft, where he was orphaned young and raised by his uncle, the local bailiff Pieter de Jongh. Initially destined for basket weaving or farm work, Saenredam's precocious talent for embellishing texts with intricate designs caught attention, leading to an apprenticeship in cartography. By 1589, at a...