It’s clear that this unknown glass engraver modelled his work on the ‘Virtù’ (Virtue) contained in the 1644 Amsterdam edition of 'Iconologia' by Cesare Ripa (1560-1625) (pp. 83-84).

Virtue was regarded as fundamental to civil society. The concept draws on Aristotelian virtue ethics, in which personal virtue is inextricably linked to the circumstances in which the subject finds himself. Virtue can only be learned through example and experience; it is not something that one is born with. As such, upbringing and society are crucial in fostering a virtuous character. According to virtue ethics, a virtuous life is one of optimal self-development and happiness.

Within this classical notion of virtue ethics, four ‘cardinal virtues’ are key: Prudentia (prudence), Iustitia (justice), Temperantia (moderation) and Fortitudo (fortitude). In the Middle Ages Thomas Aquinas formulated the three Christian virtues of faith, hope and charity. Together with the Aristotelian virtues they made up the seven cardinal virtues which were the central tenet of eighteenth-century ethics.

In the eighteenth century, Aristotelian ideals gained new relevance in relation to the ethical responsibilities of citizenship. Influenced by the ideas of the philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), virtue (and upbringing) came to be seen as a key not only to personal fulfilment but to the welfare of the nation. Virtue was regarded not only as the foundation of a happy life but also as the foundation of a prosperous society.

Rousseau’s ideas fed into the French revolution and thereby influenced the Dutch Patriot Movement which sought to establish a more representative democracy. Jan van Walré (1759-1837), who originally owned this glass, was a staunch patriot. He must have been interested in Rousseau as well since he published a translation of Pygmalion (1770) (Pygmalion, 'Dichterlijk toneel, naar het Fransch van Jean Jacques Rouseau', Haarlem 1796, Siegenbeek 1838, p. 18).

This glass is part of an eighteenth-century collection passed down through successive generations to his direct descendant, C.A. van Walré de Bordes (1928–2025). The collection will be offered for sale at TEFAF, with an accompanying catalogue.