Bilder Cornelis van Dalen (1638–1664) – Allegorical Frontispiece to Jacob Cats’ Buyten Leven op Zorgvliet – Copperplate Engraving (1656)

Beskrivning

This powerful allegorical frontispiece was engraved by Cornelis van Dalen for the 1656 edition of Buyten Leven op Zorgvliet, one of the most celebrated emblematic works by the Dutch poet Jacob Cats. The composition centers on a vanitas allegory: two skeletons holding scrolls of warning flank a bust of Louis XIV; above them, Father Time unveils a great book with moral emblems under divine radiance. The background reveals the estate of Zorgvliet near The Hague, a place Cats idealized as the model of moral rural life. At the bottom, groups of women, children, and scholars react to the vision above — an allegory of time, mortality, virtue, and domestic order.

Cornelis van Dalen (1638–1664) was a Dutch engraver active in Amsterdam and known for his finely detailed portraits and title pages. His style was characterized by strong linear precision and dramatic composition, making him a favored illustrator for emblem books and theological works of the mid-17th century.
Jacob Cats (1577–1660), a moralist poet and statesman, was among the most widely read authors of the Dutch Golden Age. His Buyten Leven op Zorgvliet combined pastoral imagery with deeply Calvinist values, promoting simplicity, labor, and piety in everyday life.

Artist or Maker:
Cornelis van Dalen

Dimensions:
22 cm x 34 cm

Medium:
Copperplate engraving

Date:
1656

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.