Axial Commons Image Treasury
Engraving of a putto blowing soap bubbles while standing on a skull, inside an oval framed by ornate scrollwork, cherubs and flowers.

Allegory of Transience (Quis Evadet?)

A plump putto stands on a human skull at the center of an oval, blowing soap bubbles from a pipe while a cloak falls behind him. Fine engraved lines form an ornamental border of scrolls, cherubs, flowers, and a text cartouche below, printed in black ink on pale paper.

Artist
Hendrick Goltzius
Date
c. 1600
Medium
Engraving on ivory laid paper
Source
Art Institute of Chicago
Size
1686 × 2209 px
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Public domain · Art Institute of Chicago releases this image under CC0 (latest date 1605).
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: CC0 (Art Institute of Chicago, is_public_domain=true)

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Art Institute of Chicago, Charles Hack and the Hearn Family Trust Collection, purchased with funds provided by the Harry B. and Bessie K. Braude Memorial, Amanda S. Johnson and Marion J. Livingston, anonymous, and Suzanne Searle Dixon endowment funds

Español: Alegoría de la fugacidad (¿Quién escapará?)

Un regordete putto está de pie sobre un cráneo humano en el centro de un óvalo, soplando burbujas de jabón con una pipa mientras una capa cae detrás de él. Finas líneas grabadas forman un marco ornamental de volutas, querubines, flores y un cartucho con texto en la parte inferior, impreso en tinta negra sobre papel claro.

Português: Alegoria da transitoriedade (Quem escapará?)

Um putto rechonchudo está de pé sobre um crânio humano no centro de um oval, soprando bolhas de sabão de um cachimbo enquanto uma capa cai atrás dele. Linhas gravadas finas formam uma moldura ornamental de volutas, querubins, flores e um cartucho com texto na parte inferior, impressa em tinta preta sobre papel claro.

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