Twenty-three Flemish and Dutch proverbs. Engraving by J. van Doetecam, 1577.

Date:
[1577?]
Reference:
2138556i
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About this work

Publication/Creation

[Antwerp?] : [J. van Doetecam], [1577?]

Physical description

1 print : engraving, with etching ; platemark 37.8 x 28.2 cm

Lettering

De trouwe is lichter ... op een verrken

Reference

Wellcome Collection 2138556i

Contents

Upper register: seven proverbs
A man holding scales, weighing a hand (or glove) and a feather which is heavier, representing the proverb "De trouwe is lichter / als ee[n] pluijm" (Fidelity is lighter than a feather), meaning that fidelity is fickle
A man attacking another with a spit, representing the proverb "Dese wert met dat speet ghesmeeten, / en heft van dat gebraet / niet ghegeeten" (He is beaten by a spit without having eaten from the roast); meaning that someone has been wrongly accused
Two donkeys riding two mules; representing the proverb "Hier rijden de Ezels / op mulen" (Here the donkeys ride the mules), possibly denoting pride in insignificant differences
A man with a cat on his shoulder, licking his face while scratching his neck; representing the proverb "Wacht u voer de catzen, de voer lecken, en achter / kratzen" (Beware of cats who lick you in the face but scratch your back), a warning against hypocrites
A man stabbing another in the back, representing the proverb "Iudas Kuze geven" (To give a kiss of Judas), meaning to betray someone
Someone shaving a fool's head; representing the proverb "Dese scheert den geck" (Shaving the fool's head), meaning mocking someone
A man carrying a large knife, representing the proverb "Ten bijnt n[iet]z al guede / Cocken, de veel messen / draeghen" (Just because a man has a lot of knives that does not mean he is a cook), meaning all is not what it seems
Second register: five proverbs
A woman holding a large jug, representing the proverb "De kruuck wert so la[n]ge / te water gedragen, dat / si eens breeckt" (the pot goes so often to the water that it breaks), warning against pushing one's luck too far
A bear being stung by bees after having disturbed their beehive, representing the proverb "De hoonich will eeten, moet / lijden dat hem de bijen steeken" (where there is honey, there are bees), signifying that one needs to make efforts in order to be rewarded
A man fleeing a monkey, representing the proverb "Deze clowt den aep", 'Scratching the Monkey'); meaning an idle occupation or spending one's savings
A man with a dog sitting on his lap on top of his purse; "Den hont sitt / op zijn tasse" (The dog sits on his purse), indicating a stingy person
Two men crouching against one another and defecating, representing the proverb "De twe schieten doer een gatt" (These two men shit through the same hole), meaning they are in agreement
Third register: six proverbs
A cat watching a mouse, representing the proverb "Twill all muusen / wat van Catten / comt" (It is only mice the cats want); meaning that one cannot change one's nature
A man drinking beer from a jug, representing the proverb "Dat Bier is voer / de ganzen niet / ghebrouwen" (This beer has not been brewed for the geese); meaning that he is entitled to do what he is doing
A sow pulling the tap from a barrel; "Hier treckt de Such den tap uth" (The sow pulls the tap from the barrel), meaning greediness and irresponsible behaviour (the beer will be wasted if the plug is removed)
A man bending down in front of a globe, representing the proverb "Ick moet mij crommen / zal ick doer de werrelt / commen" (One needs to bend in order to crawl through the world); meaning that one needs to make efforts or be flexible in order to achieve something
A man standing straight next to the globe, holding a halberd, representing the proverb "Dese will al heel op / met rechtverdicheit / doer de werrelt come[n]" (He only wants justice to get through the world); meaning that he will only lead his life in a just way
A fox eating from a flat plate while a stork looks on, representing the proverb "Hier noet de voss / de craene" (The fox invited the stork for dinner), meaning that one bad turn deserves another (referring to Aesop's fable: the crane had previously invited the fox to a dinner served in a long-necked jug)
Lower register: five proverbs
A man carrying a bucket of water in one hand and a shovel with burning coals in the other, representing the proverb "Dese draget dat fwer in deene / hant, twater in dander hant" (He carries fire in one hand and water in the other); meaning that he is two-faced or a hypocrite
A man holding his hand in front of his face, representing the proverb "Dese siet doer de vingeren" (He sees through his fingers); meaning that he is turning a blind eye, he is overlooking something on purpose
A young woman is hanging a cloak around her husband, representing the proverb "Frowkens de geernn / hier, en daer, den offer ontfanghen, / moeten haer mans de blaw huijcke o[m] hangen" (Women who like to receive propositions, need to cover their husbands with a blue cloak); meaning she is cheating on her husband
A man wearing a fur-trimmed coat containing a skull, representing the proverb "Dese draeget de doet / in sijnen boesem" (He carries Death in his pocket); meaning he will soon die
A pig carrying a pair of tongs on its back, representing the proverb "Dat sluijt gelijck ee[n] tanghe / op een verrken" (This fits like a pair of tongs on a pig's back); meaning something does not fit at all

Creator/production credits

Attribution to Jan van Doetecam (Joannes à Doetechum) the elder derives from the lettering "Ioannes a / Doetincku / Excudeb: / a.o 1577 / 12 Marti" on another print in the same series in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

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