It has been noted in an earlier chapter that Holbein, in his wall-paintings, was influenced by the example of Andrea Mantegna, whose “Triumph of Cæsar” had a European reputation. The Steelyard allegories were compositions of a similar nature, though in no sense copies of any earlier Italian work. The “Triumph of Riches” represents a crowded procession moving towards the spectator’s left. The magnificent chariot of Plutus, drawn by four white horses, is followed and surrounded by the most famous men of wealth of antiquity. The god of riches himself, old, bent, and bald, is seated on a high seat at the back of the car, with his feet on a sack of gold. In front of him sits Fortune on a globe, blindfolded,[63] her veil blown out like a sail, and stooping down to scatter gold among the crowd; and in front of her sits the Charioteer, named _Ratio_, holding the reins, which are labelled _Notitia_ and _Voluntas_. The two near horses, _Impostura_ and _Contractus_, are led by _Bona Fides_ and _Justitia_, two finely designed figures of women, while two other women, _Liberalitas_ and _Æqualitas_, are mounted on the off horses, _Avaritia_ and _Usura_, which they urge along with short whips. On either side of the chariot walk Simonides, Sichaeus, Leo Byzantius, Bassa, Themistocles, Pythius, Crispinus, Ventidius, who holds up his toga to catch the coins Fortune is scattering, Gadareus and others, some of them bent down with the weight of gold they are carrying in sacks or large purses. Behind the car rides Crœsus, a majestic, crowned figure, his horse led by Narcissus, with Cleopatra, Midas, Tantalus, and other riders bringing up the rear. On the extreme right of the composition _Nemesis_ hovers over them in the clouds. To each figure a label with the name is attached, all of which are not given on the Louvre drawing, but are found in the Vorsterman and Bisschop copies. On the extreme left, in the sky, is a large cartellino,[64] with a Latin inscription of two lines in Roman characters:— “Avrvm blanditiæ pater est natvsq. doloris Qvi caret hoc moeret qvi tenet hic metvit.” This sentence was also written up over the central door of the Steelyard Guildhall, and has been ascribed, according to Walpole, to Sir Thomas More, but this appears to be a legend without any real foundation in fact. Footnote 63: In the original drawing. In the Bisschop copy her head is raised, and she is not blindfolded. Footnote 64: Not shown in the Louvre drawing. [Illustration: VOL. II., PLATE 7 THE TRIUMPH OF POVERTY Seventeenth-century copy of the wall-decoration in the Guildhall of the London Merchants of the Steelyard By JAN DE BISSCHOP BRITISH MUSEUM ] [Sidenote: THE “TRIUMPH OF POVERTY”]