Jacob Cats, Spiegel vanden Ouden ende Nieuwen Tijt (The Hague, 1632) [work in progress...]
SPIEGEL Van den Ouden ende Nieuvven Tijdt, Bestaende uyt Spreeckvvoorden ende Sinspreuken, ontleent van de voorige ende jegenvvoordige Eeuvve,verlustigt door menigte van Sinne-beelden, met Gedichten en Prenten daer op passende
On the individual emblem pages, metadata made by human indexers (mottoes, captions, Iconclass indexing, bibliographical data) are combined with AI-generated metadata (descriptions of the images, transcriptions and translations of the verses and the commentaries, and suggested Iconclass codes and adages). The AI-generated parts are marked AI-generated and should be read as suggestions. The site is work in progress: not all emblems are complete yet.
128 pages
Title page
Spiegel vanden Ouden ende Nieuwen Tijt
Emblem 1
A man is tying a big old tree to a pole to straighten it, like the young trees in the background; another man tells him that this is a useless effort.
Rami correcti rectificantur, trabs minime
Emblem 2
An old woman selling fruit, warns the young girl that "one bad apple will spoil the barrel".
Pomme pourrie gaste sa compagnie
Emblem 3
A father points at a snake pushing its head in a crevice: once its head is in the rest will follow; the message to his son is that the road to perdition starts with a first step in the wrong direction
Waer de Slanghe 'thooft in krijght, daer krijgtse 'tlijf in
Emblem 4
An older woman points out to a young woman that a pig will lie down in a dunghill when it is scratched
Wan man die sauw kutzelt, so legt sie sich im dreck
Emblem 5
An old man tells a young woman that 'beauty is more than skin deep'
Elck spiegle hem selven
Emblem 6
An elegant young man points at the fool's shoes he is wearing; young men and women dancing in the street in the background
Es musz ein ieder ein par narren schuhen vertretten, wo nicht mer
Emblem 7
Cupid at a table with a group of musicians; in the background a man, leaning on a staff, looks at a sleeping woman
Amor docet Musicam
Emblem 8
A farmer tries to stop a flock of sheep before they cross the dam to his newly sown field
Het Schaep dient voor den dam geschut
Emblem 9
A lady is paying for a pearl necklace which she has only been able to inspect by candle light
Prendre ne dois à la chandelle Ny or, ny toile, & moins pucelle
Emblem 10
A girl is pulling at her mother's purse, while she points at a doll, put on display by the market stall's saleswoman; in the background a man approaches a woman
Schoon voor-doen is half verkocht
Emblem 11
Man and woman playing a form of badminton (shuttlecock)
Amor, ut pila, vices exigit
Emblem 12
A bird seller and a falconer with owls instead of falcons
Elck meynt sijn uyl een valck te zijn
Emblem 13
A couple at an open window points at a young man covering a lantern with his hat; an old man with a younger woman in the background
Feu toux amour & argent Ne se chachent longuement
Emblem 14
A man and a woman watching dogs fighting over a bone, sparrows fighting over an ear of corn and ravens fighting on the branch of a tree; men duelling in the background
Ne Amor, ne signoria, Vuole compagnia
Emblem 15
A man and woman holding hands in front of an open hearth; in the background a boy gets sparks from a flint and steel
Met arbeydt krijgtmen vyer uyt den steen
Emblem 16
Woman dreamily staring in the fire of an open hearth, lifting her skirt to warm herself; couple of lovers in the background
El fuego y el Amor No dizen ve te a tu labor
Emblem 17
A man who cannot choose between a milkmaid ('Galatea') and a girl with a basket of fish on her head ('Thetis') has his fisherman's cap cap removed by the milkmaid; in the background a hunter chases two rabbits (or hares)
Nemo potest Thetidem simul & Galateam amare
Emblem 18
A donkey is biting another donkey, while various couples of lovers are playing on the beach and in the dunes
El amor de los asnos entra à coces y à bocados
Emblem 19
A man and a woman pointing at two dogs who are fighting while a third walks away with a bone; men duelling in the background
Two dogges strive for a bone, and the thirt taket it awaij
Emblem 20
Hunters are disappointed by a hare surrendering itself
Le bon veneur ne prend La beste qui se rend
Emblem 21
Young cats hunting mice and young monkeys looking for fleas in the hair of a boy who has his hand in his trousers, are observed by two men
Chi di gatta nasce, sorci piglia
Emblem 22
A lady peeling a pear, another lady carrying a bowl of pears
Pere é donne senza rumori Sono stimate gli meliori
Emblem 23
A woman points at the chicken looking at the egg in a nest - to her equality is a condition to 'lay one of her own'
De Hinne leydt geerne daerse een nest ey siet
Emblem 24
One man points at the trunk of a tree that has just been felled; in the background a woodcutter continues removing branches
De boom en valt ten eersten slagh niet
Emblem 25
A young woman tells a suitor to set his sights on a woman of a character more like his
Birds of one faether Wil flocke togeder
Emblem 26
A small and a large horse are pulling a chariot, moving through the mud with difficulty
Ongelijcke peerden trecken qualijck
Emblem 27
A servant girl is offering a dish with some sausages, a gift from her master, to a young lady
D'eene het bloet d'ander het goet
Emblem 28
A tired old man is winding up his clock, while his active, much younger wife is watching him
Un horologe entretenir Ieunes dames à gre servir
Emblem 29
A well-dressed man is warning another man that building a complete mill just to grind one sack of grain is a bad investment
Om een mudde korens dat hy te maelen heeft, wil hy een gantsche meulen rechten
Emblem 30
A father points at a bird who shares food with an owl, while overhead a falcon is pierced by the beak of a heron(?)
Beter by den uyl geseten, als met den valck gevlogen
Emblem 31
An elderly man is pointing at a young woman while pulling at the dress of his son; in the background a hunter is pulling at the leash of his dogs who are unwilling to chase hares
Met onwillige honden ist quaet hasen vangen
Emblem 32
A young man is courting a woman, who is clumsy but rich; in the background a cat is licking a chandelier
Om de minne vande smeer Leckt de kat den kandeleer
Emblem 33
A young woman walks while holding a very fragile bottle
Il ne faut qu'un faux pas pour casser la boteille
Emblem 34
In the background a lady is reprimanding a servant girl, while in the foreground a dog is sticking his head in a cauldron that has tipped over
Een open pot, of open kuyl, Daer in steeckt licht een hont sijn muyl
Emblem 35
A well-dressed young woman is brushing off the mud from her skirt
On ne peut decrotter sa robbe sans emporter le poil
Emblem 36
The older woman warns the young woman against being too friendly to men or she'll end up like a ewe being taken advantage of by every hungry lamb
La brebis trop apprivoisée De chacun agnel est tettée
Emblem 37
A furrier about to catch a cat; in the background a father warning his daughter about a scoundrel
Die een schoone kat heeft, en dient gheen bont-wercker in huys te brengen
Emblem 38
A mother points at a bundle of straw next to a fire in the fireplace, warning her daughter about the risks or partying; a doctor's visiting a woman in the background(?)
La stoppa non sta bene appresso il fuogo
Emblem 39
A woman is addressing the man next to her while she is pointing at a cat that licks a spit
A gatto che lecca spiedo, non gli fidate arrosto
Emblem 40
A young woman looks at the broken jug she has pulled from a well
De kanne gaet soo lange te water totse eens breeckt
Emblem 41
A man (farmer?) clutches his head with both hands as he sees that some of his ripe pears have fallen from the tree
Als de pere rijp is soo valtse geerne int slick
Emblem 42
A young woman points at a felled, young cypress tree that "will never be green again"
La bona fama è comme il Cipresso quando una volta è tronco non rinverde mai piu
Emblem 43
A woman holding an infant with one arm shows a letter to the man who is leaving her while in the foreground the wind blows away the feathers of a damaged pillow lying on an altar
Le serment faict sur l'autel de plumes s'en va au vent
Emblem 44
An old man is warning a young man for prostitutes, because they will destroy him like caterpillars destroy a cabbage
Een rupse op een kool, Een hoere in een huys
Emblem 45
A young man draws back his hand from the dish with coals offered by a young woman; behind her a masked man is playing a lute
O tinge o bruscia
Emblem 46
A prostitute touching the chin of a client, in front of a fireplace where straw is burning; in the background a man is chased away from a brothel
Amour de putain d'estoupe le feu, Reluit beaucoup & dure peu
Emblem 47
A young woman pointing at the lamp she is holding; the lamp is of no use as it has no light - like a "woman who has lost her sense of shame"
Mulier sine verecundia, lampas sine lumine
Emblem 48
A young woman points at a pig with a golden ring through its snout and compares herself with it, saying "she has lost her honour"
Tanquam annulus in naribus Suis
Emblem 49
A young woman warming herself at a fireplace with one leg resting high against the wall; with her fire-tongs she touches the "curious" cat
A chat lescheur bat on la guele
Emblem 50
By falsely claiming she has lost precious jewellery, a prostitue persuades her client to buy her some replacements from her friend the jeweller - who is in on the plot
Dum plorat, vorat
Emblem 51
Next to an old tree, an old spinster laments that she was too proud and thus missed her opportunities
Arbor secco non devient mai verde Cosi fa donne chi suo tiempo perde
Emblem 52
With the help of a withered flower, an old spinster warns a young woman that outward beauty does not last, but inward virtue does
Ogni fiore al fin perde l'odore
Emblem 53
Vade ad formicam, piger
Emblem 54
Sensim, & sine sensu
Emblem 55
Hands from the clouds are pulling hairs from a man with a full head of hair and from a man who is nearly bald
Emblem 56
't Zijn stercke beenen die weelde dragen konnen
Emblem 57
Wan dem Esel zu woll ist, so gehet er auffs eisz tantzen
Emblem 58
Tale è la cagnuola, quale è la signoria
Emblem 59
Non se da tanto pane al cagnuolo quanto la sua coda dimanda
Emblem 60
Saevis inter se convenit ursis
Emblem 61
De gansen krijghen den kost, maer sy moetense plucken
Emblem 62
Snijtmen sijn neus af men schent sijn aengesicht
Emblem 63
On ne prend lievre au taboryn ny oiseau à la tarte velle
Emblem 64
An older man is warning a fisherman to pull up his fishing rod in time; in the background a man is chasing Occasio
Treckt alst nopt Visscher
Emblem 65
Pro camelo sarcina
Emblem 66
Als morsige lieden kuys worden, so schuerense de panne van achteren
Emblem 67
Fortunam, velut tunicam, magis concinnam proba, quam longam
Emblem 68
Ein klein henn legt alle tag, da ein Strauss im jahr nur eins
Emblem 69
Groote visschen scheuren 't net
Emblem 70
Canta la rana Y no tiene pelo ni lana
Emblem 71
Met groote Heeren ist quaet kersen eten, sy kiesen de grootste, en schieten met de steenen
Emblem 72
Faites feste au chien, il te gastera ton habit
Emblem 73
In eens anders oor is te snijden als in een vilt-hoet
Emblem 74
A hunter trying to catch two hares or rabbits simultaneously
Qui duos sequitur lepores neutrum capit
Emblem 75
Queen Money (Pecunia) weighing coins at a table which is surrounded by a variety of people, anxious to receive some of the money
Aetgaia hernesne mute edun
Emblem 76
Ogni gallo rupsa à se
Emblem 77
Amys sont comme le melon, De dix souvent pas un est bon
Emblem 78
De hont diemen een been ontneemt en kent geen vrienden
Emblem 79
One man is shearing a sheep while another man tries to shear a screaming pig
Assay rumori, é poca lana
Emblem 80
Als 't diep verloopt versetmen de bakens
Emblem 81
La scimia quanto piu in alto sale Tanto piu scuopere le sue vergogne
Emblem 82
'T is een stoute kraey die een levendich beest in 't lijf pickt
Emblem 83
Man rufft dem Esel nit gen hoff, er soll dann sack traghen
Emblem 84
Besogna che il savio porti il matto in spalla
Emblem 85
Daerder veel smeden moetmen slach houden
Emblem 86
Deux orgeilleux ne peuvent estre portez sur un asne
Emblem 87
Vt lapsu graviore ruant
Emblem 88
l' Ignorance corre, la Prudenza lentamente segue il passo
Emblem 89
l' Araignée mange la mouche & le lizard l'araignée &c.
Emblem 90
Als oude honden bassen ist tijt uyt te sien
Emblem 91
Es is nit rath dass man narren uber eyer setze
Emblem 92
Wer mit katzen jagt der fahet gern mauss
Emblem 93
Culex fodit oculum leonis
Emblem 94
A king is handing a pair of shears to a shepherd so he can shear his sheep instead of flaying it; in the background a gardener is carefully cutting a tree in the right shape
Boni pastoris est tondere pecus non deglubere
Emblem 95
Verità non può star sepolta
Emblem 96
A little pot Is soen hot
Emblem 97
Stultorum cum stercore pugnare
Emblem 98
Non tace invidia quando gloria crida
Emblem 99
Elck weet waer hem de schoen wringt
Emblem 100
'T is geneughelick te sien regen als men in 't drooge staet
Emblem 101
El corcohado no vee su corcoba, y vee la de su compannon
Emblem 102
Krepel wil altijt voor dansen
Emblem 103
Stulto ne permittas digitum
Emblem 104
De gans blaest wel, maer en bijt niet
Emblem 105
Hy moet veel brijs hebben, die elck den mont sal stoppen
Emblem 106
Nul cheval si bien ferré qui ne glisse
Emblem 107
Elck vogelke singt soo 't gebekt is
Emblem 108
A man is thrown into a pigsty
Als yder seyt ick ben een vercken, soo moet ick in 't kot
Emblem 109
Een schip op een sant een baken in zee
Emblem 110
Met een benepen kat is quaet te vechten
Emblem 111
On ne sçauroit faire boire un asne, s'il n'a soif
Emblem 112
Il sarro chi no fa nodo perde il punto
Emblem 113
Wat de seuge doet moeten de biggen ontgelden
Emblem 114
Mortuo leoni etiam lepores insultant
Emblem 115
A barbe de fol apprent on à raire
Emblem 116
Vechtende koeyen voegen haer als de wolf komt
Emblem 117
Il tegnoso fuge il pectine
Emblem 118
De hondt bijt den steen, en niet die hem werpt
Emblem 119
Quien estropieça, si non cae el camino adelanta
Emblem 120
An old man passing on a lantern to a younger man
Lampada trado
Emblem 121
Quid est homo? Lucerna sub dio posita
Emblem 122
Een oudt voer-man hoort geerne 't geklap van de sweep
Emblem 123
Il n'est pas libre qui traine son licol
Emblem 124
Vanno piu pelli di volpi che d'asini in pelliciaria
Emblem 125
Qui se peigne peu souvent, A bien de peine en se peignent
Emblem 126
Il tiempo va, la morte viene
Emblem 127
Van thien niet een