Allegory of Sculpture

In this composition Biard brings together various virtues and vices and thereby refers to the lost painting Calumny of Apelles. Some details such as the representation of the Roman god Terminus on the right, the little bear licking stones in the form of boys and the series of putti at the bottom refer to sculpture. By bringing these figures together in print form, a comparison arises between the different art forms, also known as paragone. The print also contains a double self-portrait: with the man embraced on the right and the crouching thinking man at the bottom right, the printmaker places himself in relation to sculpture and painting; the arts he himself practiced.