Triumph of Poverty by Lucas Vorsterman

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Paintings in ink are usually greyish, morose and best used for wintry still life depictions of landscapes and principalities. Portraits are also one of the frequently implemented styles when it comes to the use of ink on paper or an easily absorbing material. Material cost is low as well, and the entire produce of an ink artist is usually brisk. However, that is never the case when one uses ink for depicting something as important as the Triumph of Poverty.

Lucas Vorsterman was a man of will-power, elegance and a persevering nature when it came to showing the world that art is a little more than being all about beauty. His style exceeded the apparently modest periphery of ink painting. His times were all about huge differences between statists and peasants, women and men, the rich and the poor. All his conscience gave him the power to take up chiseling as the main path to undying expressions.

Vorsterman lived in medieval years, just after the death of Shakespeare and in the momentous time of English literature. Charles I was on the throne in England, and Vorsterman used to enjoy his patronage. However, whenever you consider his conscience, it always seems to resonate with the hard work he has put into making Triumph of Poverty a colored painting – using blue and brown inks. This is extremely rare, and perhaps apt only for the most sublime occasions.

It is meant to deliver an expression – while brought to life using the cheapest materials available in the world of Renaissance painting, it seems to be representative for ‘poverty’ – that it can triumph, while expressing its feelings by using the simplest means in a world of Vatican frescoes, palace art and wasteful royal expenditure.
Triumph of poverty is about two by two-and-a-half feet in dimension, allowing itself a noticeable place in any deserving gallery in my opinion.