Emblem 24

Emblem 24

Pigs at a trough, one sniffing at a ring on the groundAI-generated

Vn chascun doibt moderer son estat.

Emblem 24. Everyone ought to keep his station within measure.AI-generated

Description of the woodcutAI-generated

A woodcut in a square frame: a farmyard scene. A large pig stands in the centre, seen in profile, its snout lowered toward a ring (a circular jewel-like band) lying on the ground beside a low feeding trough at the left. A second, smaller pig lies stretched out on the ground behind/below it. At the right rises a stone building with a tiled roof and a small shuttered window; at the left a wooden paling fence and a leafy tree overhang the enclosure. Acorns or scattered bits of feed lie on the ground.

Subscriptio

Facsimile page of emblem 24 — Facsimile of the page (Herzog August Bibliothek); click to enlarge.

TranscriptionAI-generated

PEnsez si c'est chose tresbien seanteA vn pourceau, de porter vne bague.Pensez si c'est chose bien conuenanteA vn enfant, de porter vne dague:A vn coquin, de mener grosse brague:A vn lourdault, contrefaire le Sage:A vn asnier, traicter subtil ouurage:A vn gros bœuf, presenter des chapeaulx,Propre doibt estre à chascun son paraige.La bague à l'hôme, & le glãd aux pourceaulx.

TranslationAI-generated

Consider whether it is a very fitting thing for a pig to wear a ring. Consider whether it is a very suitable thing for a child to carry a dagger: for a rascal to swagger about in great breeches: for a lout to counterfeit the wise man: for a donkey-driver to handle subtle work: for a fat ox to be offered hats. Each one's rank should be proper to himself: the ring to the man, and the acorn to the pigs.

Iconclass

86(VN CHASCUN DOIBT MODERER SON ESTAT) proverbs, sayings, etc. (VN CHASCUN DOIBT MODERER SON ESTAT)

41A17 farm (building)

47I21211 hog (castrated male pig)

47I2223 trough

41D2664(+8) ring (+ destination or function of clothes)

29A1 'mundus inversus', the reversed world, the topsy-turvy world, 'le monde bestourné'

59A3 Propriety, Decorum; 'Decoro' (Ripa)

Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated

Additional codes proposed for this emblem, not (yet) part of the indexing.

73C7452 'do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine' ~ doctrine of Christ on love, etc. (Matthew 7:6)high

The correlate 'do not throw your pearls before swine' is precisely the proverbial theme illustrated by a pig nosing a precious ring on the ground.

47I212 pighigh

The correlate simply denotes 'pig', matching the large pig and its companion that dominate the farmyard scene.

25G21(ACORN) fruits: acornmedium

The correlate 'fruits: acorn' matches the acorns scattered on the ground beside the trough.

57AA68 Unworthinesslow

The correlate 'Unworthiness' fits the moral of the commentary, that a precious jewel is wasted on an unworthy recipient such as a swine.

52AA5 Ignorance; 'Ignoranza', 'Ignoranza di tutte le cose', 'Ignoranza in un ricco senza lettere' (Ripa)low

The correlate personification of 'Ignorance' corresponds to the commentary's theme of the ignorant creature unable to appreciate the jewel.

47I2123 piglet, suckling piglow

The correlate 'piglet, suckling pig' could account for the second, smaller pig lying on the ground behind the large one.

Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated

Suggested relationships between this emblem and adages in Erasmus’ Adagia.

I vii 24 Anulus aureus in naribus suis – thematic inventiohigh

The woodcut (pig sniffing a ring beside its trough) and the opening lines ('Pensez si c'est chose tresbien seante / A vn pourceau, de porter vne bague') render exactly Erasmus' adage from Proverbs 11 on the gold ring in a swine's snout, used when something excellent falls to one wholly unfit for it; the closing line 'La bague à l'homme, & le gland aux pourceaux' restates the adage's moral about gifts bestowed where they do not belong.

II v 18 Ne puero gladium – thematic inventiohigh

The second example in the subscriptio, 'A vn enfant, de porter vne dague' (a child carrying a dagger), is a direct vernacular equivalent of Erasmus' adage 'Put not a sword in the hand of a child', used for entrusting things to those unfit by age or judgement.

I vii 10 Simia in purpura – thematic inventiomedium

'A vn coquin, de mener grosse brague' (a rascal swaggering in grand breeches) reproduces the point of Erasmus' 'empurpled ape': fine clothing on a base creature only makes the incongruity more ridiculous — one of the emblem's catalogue of unfitting adornments.

I iv 38 Nihil cum amaracino sui – thematic inventiomedium

The emblem's final antithesis, 'the ring to the man, the acorn to the pigs', echoes Erasmus' adage that a pig has no use for marjoram — refined things are wasted on brutish natures, which prefer their own coarse food.

I iv 35 Asinus ad lyram – thematic inventiolow

'A vn asnier, traicter subtil ouurage' (a donkey-driver handling delicate work) belongs to the same family of incongruity proverbs as Erasmus' 'ass at the lyre', where the uncultivated man is set to a task requiring refinement.