The Horn of Foul Gain, or Root and Berry Postilion on His Scrawny, Barely Fattened Pig

This Dutch etching depicts a satirical scene of commercial excess and moral decay. A disheveled postilion rides an emaciated pig while crowds gather near a grand house, with angels and devils circling overhead. The composition—bustling with multiple narratives, caricatured figures, and symbolic animals—exemplifies Northern European print satire of the early 18th century. The accompanying verse condemns greed and speculation, likely targeting the Dutch East India Company's financial schemes. The work inherits the tradition of moralizing broadsheets and anticipates the caricature-and-narrative approach that would flourish through Hogarth and his successors, establishing visual satire as a vehicle for social and political critique.