Ill-Matched Lovers
circa 1520 National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
About this artwork
This oil painting on wood panel depicts an elderly man being seduced by a young woman while a jester pickpockets him. It serves as a moralistic genre scene warning against the folly of lust and greed.
Did you know?
This painting is a classic example of a moralistic genre scene popular in Northern Europe during the early 16th century, often used to warn viewers about the dangers of vanity and vice. The scene humorously juxtaposes the romantic advances of the young woman with the blatant theft occurring in the background, highlighting the folly of the elderly man blinded by lust. Such 'ill-matched lovers' themes were common in art and literature of the time to satirize social norms and human frailty.
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Ill-Matched Lovers
Quinten Metsys, circa 1520
