The Triumph of Peace, from The Cycle of the Vicissitudes of Human Affairs, plate 8
Medium
Engraving; first state of three (New Hollstein)
Dimensions
Sheet: 8 3/4 × 11 9/16 in. (22.3 × 29.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.95.2371(8)
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Triumph of Peace*, plate 8 from Maarten van Heemskerck's ambitious series *The Cycle of Vicissitudes of Human*, masterfully engraved by Cornelis Cort and by Hieronymus Cock 1564. This-state engraving, measuring 8 3/4 × 11 9/16 inches, captures a grand allegorical procession symbolizing peace's victory amid life's unpredictable fortunes—a theme rooted in Renaissance humanism and classical antiquity. In the bustling scene, Peace reigns triumphant in a chariot drawn by horses, surrounded by men and women embodying harmony, abundance, and reconciliation. Van Heemskerck's design draws from Roman triumph motifs, while Cort's precise engraving technique—hallmarks of the Northern Renaissance—brings intricate details to life, from flowing drapery to dynamic figures. As a product of Antwerp's vibrant print workshops under Cock's Aux Quatre Vents, it exemplifies how engravings democratized art, allowing moral and political messages to reach wide audiences across Europe. Created during a tense era of religious strife in the Netherlands, this print offered hopeful respite, reminding viewers of peace's fragile allure. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection, it invites us to ponder humanity's eternal dance with fortune.
About the Artist
Cornelis Cort|Maarten van Heemskerck|Hieronymus Cock · 1533–1578
Comment on works: copper engraver; engraver; etcher