The Greedy Rich Man

The Greedy Rich Man by Josef Danhauser

Despite living only 40 years (1805-1845), the Austrian painter Josef Danhauser's works sparked widespread controversy due to their tackling of social and moral issues. 

This angered the nobility and the powerful, leading to the complete neglect of his works by the aristocratic classes, making him an outcast among his peers.

Through his paintings, Danhauser sought to be a voice for the voiceless: workers, peasants, the poor, the homeless, and even prostitutes who had been forced into this twisted path due to poverty.

The painting is teeming with details that evoke both satire and pity. At the center of the painting stands a wealthy man, the protagonist of the scene.

 He is dressed in clothes that reflect his social status, adorned with numerous jewels, and drinks a glass of wine with a table laden with food in front of him. 

In stark contrast, a poor and destitute man stands, wearing worn-out rags, and extends his cap towards the gentleman, hoping for a few morsels of food.

The contradiction also extends to another figure, a servant who may have been brought as a slave from one of the countries occupied by the English.

 He stands in astonishment, looking at the poor man who managed to reach the dining room through the open balcony. 

The servant carries a wine bottle for the gentleman who stands in the center of the painting, raising his empty glass, likely awaiting more

Returning to the center of the painting, we find the greedy gentleman surrounded by two women.

 One of them stands, displeased by the sight of the poor man who entered from the balcony, and leans towards her wealthy master, placing her hand on his coat.

 The woman wears a dress that indicates her social class, in addition to the jewelry on her hands, and looks at the poor and destitute man as if he were a threat.