Nov 23, 2025
Allegory of Peace
Artist: Jan Lievens (Dutch, 1607-1674)
Date: 1652
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Description
The painting shows a seated female who represents peace being crowned with a laurel wreath by a woman who is clad in armour who represents war. Under her feet lies a man in armor with a sword, his hands wrapped in chains. On her left, women have baskets of fruit and a putto is playing a drum. On her right two other putti put chains on the man’s feet. Also on her right are more putti and women with flowers. The painting depicts Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, crowning Pax, the goddess of peace, who holds an olive branch. The man in chains under the feet of Pax is Mars, the god of war.
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