Description
Also known as "The Blue Cloak" or "The World of Topsy Turvy," this 1559 oil painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder has at least 119 identifiable proverbs depicted within it.
Dutch proverbs run throughout the play. Some are quite similar to proverbs from other cultures, others have fallen out of use, and others still retain their charm. As you make your way across the panel, there is an immense cultural treasure trove to discover, with figures interpreting multiple phrases. There's even an adage for color.
Some of the proverbs are idioms that we still use in everyday life, such as "swimming against the current," "banging your head against a brick wall," and "arming yourself to the teeth."
Like his other highly detailed moralistic panel paintings, including The Struggle Between Carnival and Lent (1559) and Children's Games (1560), both in the Kunsthistoriches Museum in Vienna, Dutch Proverbs depicts a swarm of men , women, boys and girls in miniature. animals that act in selected cases of wisdom or madness.
In keeping with the less overt religious art of the Protestant Northern Revival, it is Bruegel's view of contemporary society, characterized by a keen sense of the grotesque, the tragicomic, and the sinful: the inescapable result of the Fall.
Like several other 16th-century Dutch School Northern Renaissance artists, Bruegel's work demonstrates his mastery of oil painting, his handling of color pigments, and his creative compositional talents.
An Extensive Collection of Proverbs
The Dutch language of Bruegel's day was even richer in proverbs than it is today. And the Dutch have always liked these repositories of human wisdom.
Erasmus's Adagia, for example, were first published in 1500 and contained some 800 articles; The Adagia conveyed the blessings of the greatest humanist in a popular collection and was soon reprinted in much larger numbers. Proverbs have a way of unmasking human folly, and Erasmus was magnetically drawn to this aspect of them just as Bruegel would be. Proverbs also have a way of being ambiguous, multifaceted, and Bruegel shared with many of his contemporaries a distinct preference for these properties: the typically Mannerist preference for the ambiguous, the enigmatic, the hidden meanings, which our own age has rediscovered and awarded. with such wide (and often misguided) acclaim.
Several of the proverbs depicted in Bruegel's painting have disappeared from use; others are ambivalent; others still have the power to intrigue us mainly because they do not have a very clear equivalent in Spanish. You have to know how to understand that a 'bitter of pillars' is a hypocrite and that a woman who puts a blue hood on her husband turns him into a cuckold; or when the well is filled after the calf has drowned in it, like closing the barn door after the horse has run away.
While the accumulation of proverbs was a literally widespread device and had also been tried in visual representations, Bruegel's 1559 image is the first to bring together more than 100 of them in a single setting, a true 'land of proverbs' to Although this scenario is more psychological than realistic.
The success of the composition is perhaps due more to the subtle and stunningly successful color scheme than to the arrangement of figures and architecture, for which Bruegel may have availed himself of the precedent set by Hieronymus Bosch in The Garden of Earthly Delights . The combination of strong reds and blues marks decisive points of the main structure throughout, and these set the pace also from an iconographic point of view, since they demarcate scenes of madness and sin.
The center is dominated by the blue hood placed by a woman over her husband from which the image derives its title for many years; its meaning goes beyond the specific meaning of cuckolding the husband and indicates betrayal and deceit in general; the color blue often represents both cheating and insanity, while red can represent sin and insolence. The blue, silly, upside-down world is displayed prominently on the left; a red scoundrel drastically expresses his contempt for him; the Dutch word verkeerd (like its German equivalent verkhrt) means both backwards and wrong. Christ, dressed in blue, is the victim of the betrayal and madness of a monk who has seated him on a red chair and mocks him by giving him a blond beard.
The power and realism of Bruegel's view of humanity as endlessly engaged in foolish deeds is even greater when compared to a woodcut by Sebald Beham, which lists a host of follies in its caption but illustrates only two. of them, and with the surviving half of Franz Hogenberg's engraving The Blue Hood, which illustrates many of them, but in a disjointed and isolated manner. However, this print, which was almost certainly made in 1558, was an important source for Bruegel, all the more so because it places the blue hood in such a prominent position. The 'proverb island' in Rabelais's Pantagruel, in which proverbs are depicted in Bruegel-like cumulative actions, is the most famous literal parallel to the Berlin painting, but it was not published until 1564 and, therefore, Therefore, it cannot have been a source for Brugel's Dutch Proverbs. .
To what extent Bruegel regarded proverbs primarily as a parade of human madness, he indicated not only by the prominence of the upside-down world, but also by the characterization of their actors.
Take a look at this magnificent work of art and try to see how many proverbs you can identify in it:.
Complete List of 119 Dutch Proverbs by Pieter Bruegel the Elder
1. There the roof is tiled with tarts (a land of plenty; a fool's paradise; "Cockaigne Land").
2. Getting married on the broom (going through a quasi-marriage ceremony; living in sin under one roof is convenient but shameful).
3 Take out the broom (the teachers are not at home; "When the cat is out, the mice play").
4 Look through your fingers (you can afford to be lenient because you are sure of your benefit).
5 There hangs the knife (a challenge).
6 There are the wooden shoes (wait in vain).
7 They are carried by the nose (they are deceiving themselves).
8 The die is cast (it's decided).
9 Fools get the best cards
10 Depends on the fall of the cards.
11 He shits on the world (he despises the world).
12 The world upside down (the opposite of what things should be; "It's a world upside down").
13 To take something out of the eye (the hole in the handle) of scissors (for dishonest gain); or: an eye for an eye.
14 Leave at least one egg in the nest (to maintain a "nest of eggs"; "Save something for a rainy day").
15 Has a toothache behind the ears (possibly: deceive others by pretending).
16 a) He is urinating against the moon (to try to do the impossible; 'Bark against the moon' or 'Piss against the wind').
16 b) He has urinated against the moon (his company has failed).
17 There's a hole in your roof.
18 An old roof needs a lot of repairs.
19 The ceiling has slats (there are eavesdroppers).
20 There hangs the pot (in the upside down world, the chamber pot instead of the pitcher serves as a sign of inn).
21 Shave the fool without foam (to make a fool of someone; “to take someone for a ride”).
22 Grow out the window (can't keep it a secret; "The truth will come out").
23 Two fools under one hood ("Madness loves company").
24 a) Shoot a second beam to meet the first (foolish perseverance, misguided).
24b) Fire all bolts at once (using all ammo at once is not wise because there is none left when really needed).
25 He can even tie the devil to a pillow (spiteful obstinacy dominates even the devil himself).
26 He is a pillar biter (a religious hypocrite).
27 She carries fire in one hand and water in the other (she has two faces and is deceitful).
28 a) Frying all the herring for the sake of the roe ("throwing a sprat to catch a herring", i.e. sacrificing a trifle to gain something substantial).
28 b) Your herring is not fried here (things are not going according to plan).
28 c) Put the lid on the head (have to pay damages; “Stay holding the bag”).
29 a) It has more to it than an empty herring (many things often have a deeper meaning than superficial observation would suggest; “There is more than meets the eye”).
29 b) The herring hangs from its own gills (everyone must bear the consequences of their own mistakes).
30 Sit between two stools on the ashes (miss an opportunity; fail due to indecision; "fall between two stools").
31 What can smoke do to ironing? (It is useless to try to change the existing order).
32 The spindle falls to ashes (the business in question has failed).
33 To find the dog in the pot. When one lets the dog in, he goes into the pantry (pot) (to get in trouble for nothing; to be too late to avoid loss or damage)
34 Here the sow pulls out the plug (mishandling; negligence will be punished).
35 Run your head against a stone wall (to recklessly and impetuously pursue the impossible).
36 To be carried into armor (to be enraged, angry; "To be in arms for something").
37 Put the bell on the cat (when you plan something that everyone finds out about, the company goes wrong).
38 Armed to the teeth.
39 An iron teether (a large mouth).
40 The feeler of chickens ("Count the chickens before they hatch").
41 Always bites a bone (endless, useless task; or, repeating everything continuously; "Always be playing the same string").
42 There hang the scissors (pickpocket symbol; place of deception and plucking: “a clip joint”).
43 Speak with two mouths (bifaz, deceitful; "speak with both sides of the mouth").
44 One shears sheep, the other pigs (one has the advantage, the other the disadvantage; or, one lives in luxury, the other in want; “rich, poor”).
45 Big crying and little wool (“Much noise and few nuts”).
46 Cut them, but do not skin them (do not pursue your advantage at any price).
47 Patient as a lamb.
48 a) One winds on the spinning wheel what the other spins (to spread malicious gossip).
48 b) Be careful not to let a black dog get in the way (things could go wrong; or, if there are two women together, a barking dog is not needed).
49 Make the day in baskets (fools around; “Set the sun with a candle”).
50 Hold a candle to the Devil (make friends everywhere and flatter everyone; indiscriminately ingratiate yourself).
51 Confesses to the devil (to reveal secrets to the enemy).
52 A troublemaker (a gossip or gossip; "to stir up rumours").
53 The fox and the crane amuse themselves (Bruegel uses a familiar motif from Aesop's Fables: two deceivers always have their own advantage in mind; the deceiver deceives).
54 What good is a beautiful plate when there is nothing on it? ("The gold plate does not fill your belly").
55 It's a skimmer or an egg beater (a sponge, a parasite).
56 To write it down (it will not be forgotten; the debt must be paid off; "Be in a person's book").
57 Fill the well after the calf has drowned (measure taken only when an accident has occurred).
58 He has the world spinning on his thumb (everyone dances to his own rhythm; “He has the world on a string”).
59 Put a spoke in someone's wheel (put an obstacle in the way).
60 You have to bend down if you want to progress in the world (who is ambitious must be devious and unscrupulous).
61 He ties a blond beard to the face of Christ (deception is often disguised under the guise of piety).
62 To throw roses (pearls) to swine (Matthew 7:6; effort wasted on the unworthy).
63 She puts the blue mantle on her husband (she cheats on him; “To put horns on his head”).
64 The pig is stabbed in the belly (inevitable conclusion; it is irrevocable; "Things done cannot be undone").
65 Two one-bone dogs seldom agree (fight bitterly over the same thing; “a bone of contention”; image of greed and jealousy; envy).
66 Sitting on hot coals (being anxious and impatient; “Being on pins and needles”).
67 a) The meat on the grill must be basted.
67 b) It is healthy to piss in the fire.
67 c) His fire is out (his fire has gone out; he is completely discouraged).
68 There is no way to spit with him (he does not cooperate).
69 a) Catches fish with his own hands (this cunning guy benefits from the work of others by pulling fish out of the nets they have cast),
69 b) Launch a nose to catch a cod (same meaning as 28a).
70 Fall through the basket (suitor rejected; be rejected; fail).
71 You are suspended between heaven and earth (you have gotten into an awkward situation and don't know what to do).
72 She takes the chicken egg and drops the chicken egg (to make a bad decision as a result of one's greed).
73 Yawns against the oven; or, who is determined to yawn more than the oven, will have to yawn for a long time (he tries to open his mouth wider than an oven door, that is, he overestimates his ability; "He bites off more than he can chew"; OR it is useless to fight the strongest).
74 You can barely get from one loaf to another (can't live within your budget).
75 a) He is looking for the ax (he is trying to find an excuse).
75 b) Here he is with his flashlight (he finally gets a chance to shine his light, to show how smart he is).
76 An ax with a handle (everything? The meaning is not clear).
77 A hoe without a handle (something useless? -meaning unclear; the object is a dough scraper).
78 He who has spilled his porridge cannot scrape it all back (once the damage is done, it cannot be completely undone; “It is no use crying over spilled milk”).
79 They pull to get the longest end (a tug-of-war, each looking for their own benefit).
80 Holds tight; rather: love is on the side where the bag of money hangs.
81 a) He stands in his own light.
81 b) No one searches the oven for others who have not been there himself (only he who is evil thinks ill of others; “Do not judge others by your own standards”).
82 Play tag (having been embarrassed, do not draw attention to yourself; "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones"; moreover, to make an unwarranted presumption).
83 Fall from the ox to the donkey (to make a bad deal; to fall on hard times).
84 A beggar takes pity on the other who is standing in front of the door.
85 Anyone can see through an oak board if it has a hole in it.
86 a) He wipes his ass at the door (to do everything lightly).
86 b) He goes around carrying a load.
87 Kiss the (door) ring (insincere, exaggerated respect).
88 Fishing behind the net (missing an opportunity, wasted effort).
89 Big fish eat little fish.
90 Can't stand to see the sun shine on the water (my neighbor's property annoys me and it bothers me that the sun smiles on the water; envy, jealousy
91 He throws his money into the water (to waste money; "Throw one's money out the window"; "Money down the drain").
92 They both shit through a hole (inseparable friends).
93 Hangs like a toilet over a ditch (a well-defined matter).
94 You want to kill two flies with one blow (however, none will be caught; excessive ambition will be punished).
95 Look at the stork (wasting time).
96 Recognize a bird by its feathers
97 Hangs his mantle according to the wind (adapts his point of view to the circumstance that is presented to him; "adjusts his sails to the wind"; "swims with the tide").
98 Throw feathers to the wind (all your efforts are in vain, to work unsystematically).
99 The best straps are cut from someone else's leather (it's easy to dispose of someone else's property).
100 The pitcher goes into the water (the well) until it finally breaks (everything has its limits).
101 Hold an eel by the tail (a difficult undertaking sure to fail).
102 It is bad to swim against the current (whoever rebels and is not willing to comply with the common rules has a bad time).
103 Throws his hood over the fence (discards the familiar without knowing whether or not he will be able to do so in his new environment).
104 a) This proverb has not been identified with certainty. The following meanings are possible: He sees bears dancing (he is hungry).
104 b) Wild bears prefer the company of others (it's a shame if you can't get along with your mates).
105 a) He runs as if his butt is on fire (he is very distressed).
105 b) He who eats fire shits sparks (who undertakes a dangerous adventure should not be surprised by its outcome).
106 a) Where the gate is open, the pigs will run into the corn (everything is backwards when there is no supervision).
106 b) Where the corn decreases, the pig increases (in weight) ("One man's loss is another man's gain").
107 Doesn't care whose house is on fire as long as it can be warmed by the fire (takes every opportunity to increase its advantage).
108 A cracked wall will soon collapse.
109 It is easy to sail against the wind (in optimal conditions it is easily achieved).
110 Keeps eyes on the sail (is alert; “To know which way the wind is blowing”).
111 a) Who knows why geese go barefoot? (there's a reason for everything)
111 b) If I am not destined to be its caretaker, I will let geese be geese.
112 Horse droppings are not figs (don't be fooled).
113 Drag the block (a cheated suitor; enslave a pointless task).
114 Fear makes the old woman trot (need brings out unexpected qualities).
115 Shits on the gallows (no punishment will deter him; a bird from the gallows will end badly).
116 Where the corpse is, the ravens fly.
117 If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into the pit (when an ignorant man leads others, they will suffer).
118 The journey is not over yet when one can discern the church and the steeple (the goal is reached only when one has fully completed the task).
119 Another proverb refers to the sun in the sky: everything, no matter how finely spun, eventually reaches the sun (in the end, nothing remains hidden or unrequited).