Rich Children, Poor Parents, Aert Pietersz., 1599
oil on panel, h 61cm × w 163cm More details
The parents have spent all their money on providing their son with a good upbringing. They now turn to him for help, which he flatly refuses because he has to maintain his status. In so doing, he breaks the Fifth Commandment: ‘Honour your father and your mother.’ But the parents, too, have failed to act according to the Bible; had they been more mindful of their money, they would not have become destitute.
