Spes (Hope), ca. 1559 – ca. 1560

About the Work

Surrounded by wildly foaming waves, the allegory of hope stands on an anchor. She is equipped with a spade, a scythe, and a beehive, the traditional symbols of a good harvest. Life teems with dangers and uncertainties nevertheless. They are represented by those at the mercy of the churning water—figures clinging to masts, clutching beams, and begging for help with outstretched arms—but also by the burning house and the prisoners in the tower.