Detail of the ‘Labyrinth of Avarice – an engraved illustration from Bartolomeo Del Bene’s (1515-1595), “Civitas Veri sive Morum (‘The City of Truth; or, Ethics’).” In the middle of the image you see the aristocrats and clergy relaxing while the masses of people are trapped in the labyrinth, who most of them do not even know they are caught in the maze.

A labyrinth is a maze of a network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way, and avarice is extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

Del Bene was born November 9, 1515 in Val d’Elsa. He is the son of Nicolas DELBENE from an illustrious family Tuscan, which hostile to the Medici, prevailing Florence has joined the ranks of fuorusciti, these exiles, many found refuge in France. He left Italy to attach to Lyon and naturalized French June 23, 1533. His father, Nicolas DELBENE to follow Louis XII on his return from campaigns in Italy and will be mayor of Poitiers in 1555-1556.  Del Bene family was a family of Florentine bankers, came to Lyon after a failed plot against the Medici .

Symbols - Labyrinth of Avarice

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