Mammon

George Frederic Watts's 1885 oil painting Mammon. Dedicated to his Worshippers is a powerful example of religious painting that explores the corrupting influence of wealth through symbolism. Set on a canvas, the artwork depicts Mammon, the embodiment of greed from The Faerie Queene, crushing the weak to highlight society's obsession with riches over spiritual values. Watts believed that wealth was replacing religion, leading to social decay. This work, part of a series condemning materialism, was donated to the South Kensington Museum and later moved to Tate Britain, becoming one of Watts's most recognizable pieces, especially through reproductions.