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Description

This 1720 Dutch engraving of a wild merry-go-round satirizes the financial crisis of 1720. The scene depicts an elaborate merry-go-round on a seashore, with its entrance controlled by Bombario and his mother, who are selling coffee under a tent. The path leading to the gate is labeled "weg des verderfs" (way to destruction) and is littered with fish-hooks.

A well-dressed man, possibly John Law or the Duke of Orleans, sits on a treasure chest with bags of money, holding a scepter topped with a fleur-de-lis in his right hand and gesturing toward the gate. Folly, a woman wearing a fool's-cap and patches on her face and bosom, stands behind the chest. Investors approach the gate, including a rich man with a porter carrying bags of money.

An enthusiastic investor enters the enclosure under an elaborate arch, receiving a fool's-cap from an ape above. The merry-go-round has six supporting pillars and a central post, each adorned with a figure representing a share scheme. The ride is driven by a devil on horseback, and each gondola corresponds with a share scheme, with riders clutching at shares dropped from above.

As the gondolas reach the exit, some riders fall to the ground and join a crowd of speculators who wave share certificates. In the foreground, a man tries to cut his throat while another attempts to stop him. Another crowd rushes towards a boat flying the flag of "Peper landia" (the Spice Islands) as it prepares to sail towards a large East Indiaman anchored in the bay. In the background to the left is the town of Viaanen, with coaches speeding towards it. The engraving includes a Dutch title, inscriptions, and verses in four columns signed by 'Philadelphus'.