Guillaume de La Perrièrre, Le Theatre Des Bons Engins (Lyon, 1545)

Emblem 86

A prelate showing the light on a high placeAI-generated

Subscriptio

Iconclass

• 86(VN BON PRELAT DOIBT MONSTRER BON EXEMPLE) proverbs, sayings, etc. (VN BON PRELAT DOIBT MONSTRER BON EXEMPLE)
• 25H112 rocks
• 11P3113 archbishop, bishop, etc. (Roman Catholic)
• 31A233 kneeling figure
• 41B31 candle
• 22C31 radiance emanating from persons or things
• 57A25 Responsibility, Liability
• 11P31 organization, functionaries and dignitaries in Roman Catholic church; clergy in general
• 54A5 Goodness; 'Bontà' (Ripa)

Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated

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

• 73C876 'a city set on a hill cannot be hid' ~ proverbial saying of Christ (Matthew 5:14)high

  The prelate raising a burning lamp on a rocky height whose light floods the background directly illustrates the proverbial saying 'a city set on a hill cannot be hid' (Matt. 5:14), the standard emblem of a light that cannot be concealed.

• 73C72116 apostles are salt of the earth, light of the world ~ the ideal apostle (Matthew 5:13-14)medium

  The bishop as bearer of the shining lamp embodies the ideal apostle/prelate who is 'the light of the world' (Matt. 5:13-14), the biblical text to which such an image of a church leader with a lamp alludes.

• 11P31131 insignia of bishop, e.g. mitre, croziermedium

  The figure is explicitly characterized by episcopal insignia — mitre and crozier — which is exactly what this correlate designates.

• 73C7471 'I am the light of the world' ~ sayings of Christ (John 8:12, 9:5)low

  The radiating lamp evokes the saying 'I am the light of the world', though here the light-bearer is a bishop rather than Christ himself.

Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated

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

• III iv 95 Oscitante uno deinde oscitat et alter – thematic inventiomedium

  Erasmus explains this adage as applying 'whenever, by an example of sin, someone is provoked to a similar deed' — exactly the emblem's point that when prelates stray from the straight path they 'donnent occasion de faire mal' to their subjects.

• IV ii 97 Piscis primum a capite foetet – thematic inventiomedium

  The emblem's moral — corruption of the people begins with the corruption of their head, who will be punished 'au respect de leur reng' — is the classic sense of Erasmus's adage that the fish rots first from the head, i.e. the failings of rulers infect those below them.

• V ii 31 Mala malis eveniunt – thematic inventiolow

  Erasmus's essay ('from wicked deeds other wicked deeds are learned'; a parent's crime teaches the children) matches the emblem's claim that a bad example from above breeds evil in subjects, for whose blood God will hold the prelate accountable.

• IV viii 37 A bonis bona disce – thematic inventiolow

  The emblem's positive injunction that the prelate must display the light of good example so that all may see and imitate it corresponds to the adage's doctrine that virtue is learned from the conduct of good men.

Sources

Record ID: embhab_162-3-eth-b_emblem086
This emblem on the Iconclass site: https://iconclass.org/view/embhab_162-3-eth-b_emblem086
Page in the digital copy of the Herzog August Bibliothek: http://diglib.hab.de/drucke/162-3-eth-b/start.htm?image=00099