Covet Collection

Comic postcard, Man and woman, garden fence Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Boy and girl, garden fence
Comic postcard, Boy and girl smiling over the garden fence Date: 20th century

Boys playing tug-of-war with batons and dancing
Boys playing tug-of-war with batons (covet baston) and dancing to music (danse), after an engraving by Claudine Bouzonnet Stella, 17th century

Great Expectations, 1894
XJL60992 Great Expectations, 1894 by Forbes Robertson, Eric (1865-1935); Northampton Art Gallery, Northamptonshire, UK; English, out of copyright

"Lots wife"from The Pilgrims Progress From This World
5615810 " Lots wife" from The Pilgrims Progress From This World, To That Which Is To Come by John Bunyan (1628-1688) Illustration by Byam Shaw (1872-1919)

Woe is Pronounced on Covetousness, 1549. Creator: Augustin Hirschvogel
Woe is Pronounced on Covetousness, 1549

A Courtier Standing Between Covetousness and Dissimulation [fol. 14 recto], 1512 / 1514
A Courtier Standing Between Covetousness and Dissimulation [fol. 14 recto], 1512/1514

You will unjustly desire belongs your neighbor
You will not unjustly desire what belongs to your neighbor: the tenth Commandment, Two men in conversation point to a house in the background

Fingers Almost Touching

Covetiveness from Phrenological Illustrations, 1826 (etching)
XJF2920811 Covetiveness from Phrenological Illustrations, 1826 (etching) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; (add.info.: Vignette from The organ of tune)

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A peek into the past: This comic postcard from the 20th century depicts a man and woman, their eyes fixed on each other's possessions through a garden fence. The longing look exchanged between them is a timeless symbol of covetousness. Flashback to an earlier era, where a boy and girl are seen gazing at the same fence, their fingers almost touching, reflecting the same unspoken desire. The human condition of covetousness is as old as time itself. In "Great Expectations," Pip's desire for Estella's affection fuels his actions, leading him down a dangerous path. Similarly, in "The Pilgrim's Progress," "Lots Wife" is consumed by her desire for what she left behind, ultimately leading to her downfall. Augustin Hirschvogel's engraving "Woe is Pronounced on Covetousness" from 1549, and Albrecht Dürer's "A Courtier Standing Between Covetousness and Dissimulation" from 1512/1514, both depict the destructive power of covetousness. The phrase "You will unjustly desire your neighbor's wife" is a warning against the sin of covetousness, reminding us that desiring what isn't ours can lead to harm. Let us reflect on these depictions of covetousness throughout history and strive to cultivate contentment and gratitude in our own lives.