Artwork
Envy
Envy is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jacob Matham. It dates from 1587 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jacob Matham’s print titled Envy, executed around 1587, is an engraving on laid paper. The composition presents a solitary male figure entwined with serpents, clutching an apple in his right hand and a snake in his left, while a tranquil dog stands at his side. A modest landscape of trees, hills and water forms the backdrop, framing the central drama.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure’s anguished expression and the serpents coiled in his hair evoke the biblical and allegorical associations of envy as a corrosive passion. The apple, a traditional symbol of temptation, and the contrasting calm dog suggest a tension between desire and fidelity, highlighting the moral turbulence that envy engenders.
Technique & Style
Matham employed the fine line work characteristic of late‑Renaissance engraving, using cross‑hatching to model flesh, fabric and foliage on the textured surface of laid paper. The precision of the serpents’ scales and the subtle gradations of light demonstrate his mastery of the medium, while the overall composition reflects the period’s interest in allegorical narrative.
History & Provenance
Created in the late sixteenth century, the print likely circulated among collectors of emblematic works in the Dutch Republic. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the piece has been documented in several early modern print collections, indicating its recognition as a representative example of Matham’s output.
Context
Jacob Matham, a pupil of Hendrik Goltzius, worked within a thriving Netherlandish print market that valued both technical skill and moralizing subjects. Envy fits within the broader tradition of emblem books and allegorical prints that conveyed ethical lessons through vivid imagery, a practice common among Renaissance artists responding to humanist interests.
Artist & collection
