Bilder Jacob Cats (1577–1660) – Life in the Country at Zorgvliet – engraving (1632)

Beskrivning

This engraving serves as a highly detailed title plate or frontispiece for the section titled Buyten Leven op Zorgvliet. The complex allegorical composition features Father Time with his scythe and an hourglass, holding open a large book filled with scenes of human activity. Two skeletons flank the book, holding scrolls with Dutch inscriptions that reflect on mortality and the final judgment. In the background, a large country estate, likely Zorgvliet, is depicted with figures engaged in various outdoor pursuits, while a group of elegantly dressed contemporary figures observes the central allegory from the right. The work was published as part of Spiegel van den Ouden en Nieuwen Tijdt, a major emblem book that utilized elaborate imagery and popular verse to impart moral and ethical wisdom. These illustrations were central to the cultural landscape of the Dutch Republic, serving to bridge the gap between everyday domestic life and profound spiritual reflection.

Jacob Cats was a renowned Dutch poet, jurist, and politician who remains one of the most prominent figures of the Dutch Golden Age. Often referred to as Vader Cats, he was celebrated for his moralistic poetry and emblem books, which were found in nearly every Dutch household alongside the Bible. Cats served in several high-ranking political offices, including Grand Pensionary of Holland, and his literary work focused heavily on domestic life, marriage, and Christian virtues. His ability to distill complex ethical lessons into accessible visual and poetic forms made him a defining moral authority of his era and a central figure in the development of Dutch national literature.

Artist or Maker: Jacob Cats and Adriaen van de Venne.

Dimensions: Approximately 25 cm x 17 cm.

Medium: engraving.

Date: 1632.

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.