The Dissimilar Couple

Israhel van Meckenem engraved a series on the vagaries of love. Here a young woman crosses her arms and glowers as her husband caresses her bottom. The position of his sword suggests his intention, but she’s having none of it. His plain clothes compared to her fashionable ones might be a sign that she married below her station, probably for financial gain. We could say that she now regrets her choice, but in those times, she probably had little say in the matter.