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The Dance of the World

Attributed to Pieter Baltens Netherlandish
mid-16th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 690
In this print, dancing serves as an allegory of the foolish behavior that worldly pleasures—as personified by the sumptuously dressed woman at center—are wont to inspire. The figures’ ungainly movements and implied consumption of alcohol have culminated in knocking a tablet labeled LEX (law) to the floor, underscoring their disregard for morality and decorum. The verses below the image cite drink, ambition, and lust as chief drivers of their profligacy.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Dance of the World
  • Artist: Attributed to Pieter Baltens (Netherlandish, Antwerp 1526/27–1584 Antwerp)
  • Date: mid-16th century
  • Medium: Engraving; second state of two
  • Dimensions: plate: 12 3/4 x 16 in. (32.4 x 40.7 cm)
    sheet: 16 1/4 x 20 1/16 in. (41.2 x 51 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Gift of Mrs. Gardner Cassatt, by exchange, 1997
  • Object Number: 1997.370
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

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Landscape with Two Pilgrims Walking Along a Road, Pieter Baltens Netherlandish, Pen and brown ink
Landscape with Two Pilgrims Walking Along a Road
Pieter Baltens
16th century
Phaeton, from "The Four Disgracers", Hendrick Goltzius Netherlandish, Engraving
Phaeton, from "The Four Disgracers"
Hendrick Goltzius
Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem
1588
The Peasant Wedding Dance, Pieter van der Heyden Netherlandish, Engraving; first state of three
The Peasant Wedding Dance
Multiple artists/makers
after 1570
A Veiled Woman with Two Musicians, plate 3 from "The Masquerades", Jacques de Gheyn II Netherlandish, Engraving; first state of three
A Veiled Woman with Two Musicians, plate 3 from "The Masquerades"
Jacques de Gheyn II
1595–96
The Judgment of Paris: he is sitting at left with Venus, Juno and Pallas Athena, a winged victory above. In the upper section the Sun in his chariot preceeded by Castor and Pollux on horseback, at lower right two river gods and a naiad above whom Jupiter, an eagle, Ganymede, Diana and another goddess, Marcantonio Raimondi Italian, Engraving
The Judgment of Paris: he is sitting at left with Venus, Juno and Pallas Athena, a winged victory above. In the upper section the Sun in his chariot preceeded by Castor and Pollux on horseback, at lower right two river gods and a naiad above whom Jupiter, an eagle, Ganymede, Diana and another goddess
Marcantonio Raimondi
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio or Santi)
ca. 1510–20

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