Prudence, plate 35 from Genii and Virtues

This card, Prudence, depicts a woman draped in billowy fabric with a mirror in front of her. A cupid figure holds the mirror while standing on a pedestal. The arresting aspect of the image is the man’s face on the back of the woman’s head, which jarringly contrasts with her delicate beauty. In this case, the double face of the figure represents foresight and experience. There is also a stylized dragon at the woman’s feet, which is reminiscent of a lap dog rather than a monster, and she seems to be imprudently unconcerned with the creature.