Martin Schongauer: The Wise and Foolish Virgins (1470)

(Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Ten engravings made by the German artist Martin Schongauer (1448-1491). These engravings show ten ladies - the so-called "Wise and Foolish Virgins", a parable of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Matthew 25:1-13. According to the story, ten virgins are chosen to participate in a wedding. Each of the ten virgins is carrying a lamp as they await the coming of the bridegroom. Five of the virgins are wise and have brought oil for their lamps. Five are foolish and have only brought their lamps. At midnight, all the virgins hear the call to come out to meet the bridegroom. Realizing their lamps have gone out, the foolish virgins must leave to get more oil. When the foolish virgins are away the bridegroom arrives and the wise virgins then accompany him to the celebration. The others arrive too late and are excluded. Moral of the story: you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming (Matthew 25:13). Engravings from 1470.