Admonition against Arrogance and Undeserved Honour

1549

This print illustrates a verse from the 16th-century emblembook of Andrea Alciati. Figures bow down and worship a statue of the goddess Isis placed on the back of a donkey, which arrogantly thinks that honour is being paid to him. He is about to be whipped by his driver, who scolds him, ‘You are not a god, little ass; rather you bear a god.’