The Marriage of Labor and Diligence

Philip Galle after Maerten van Heemskerck

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of a group of symbolic figures and a landscape. The image features several figures in classical attire, each holding objects or wearing attire that implies a symbolic meaning or narrative. On the left, a donkey is burdened with wooden sticks, accompanied by a figure with breasts visible. The word "Labor" is beneath the figure to its right. Next, there are two central figures engaged in an act that appears like a handshake or an agreement; one wears a distinctive hat, while the other wears a helmet. On the far right, a female figure in flowing robes holds an object that resembles a lyre, and the label "Deligentia" points to an abstract concept being personified. There is a mountainous landscape with a city built into its side in the background. The skies are filled with clouds, and there are inscriptions at the bottom.