Proverbial painting of Pieter Brueghel
Nederlandse Spreekwoorden – Proverbial painting of Pieter Brueghel the Elder
Proverbial painting of Pieter Brueghel the Elder
“Nederlandse Spreekwoorden” or Netherlandish Proverbs, also known as The Topsy-Turvy World was painted in 1559, by Pieter Brueghel the Elder. The large scale painting depicts the literal meanings of Dutch proverbs. Displayed in the Berlin art gallery “Nederlandse Spreekwoorden” is filled with symbols related to more than a hundred well-known Dutch proverbs and sayings. Not all of them have been deciphered by modern scholars, as some expressions have been forgotten. Five years later, in 1564, the country was described proverbially by French writer Rabelais in his novel “Pantagruel”. With great artistic power Brueghel painted absurdity and foolishness of humans. The oil-on-oak-panel painting was originally entitled “The Blue Cloak or The Folly of the World”. His son made about 20 copies of his father’s painting, but not all copies exactly reproduce the original, differing from it in a few details.
Painting of Pieter Brueghel the Elder
The herring does not fry here (It’s not going according to plan), To fry the whole herring for the sake of the roe (To do too much to achieve a little), To get the lid on the head (To end up taking responsibility)
Proverbial painting of Pieter Brueghel
The journey is not yet over when one can discern the church and steeple (Do not give up until the task is fully complete), If the blind lead the blind both will fall in the ditch (There is no point in being guided by others who are equally ignorant).
Proverbial painting of Pieter Brueghel
To bell the cat (To carry out a dangerous or impractical plan), To be armed to the teeth (To be heavily armed), To put your armor on (To be angry).
Painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder
To kiss the ring of the door (To be obsequious), To wipe one’s backside on the door (To treat something lightly), One beggar pities the other standing in front of the door (Being afraid for competition).
Proverbial painting of Pieter Brueghel
In this detail there are three proverbs. 1. Where the corn decreases the pig increases (If one person gains then another must lose), 2. Where the gate is open the pigs will run into the corn (Disaster ensues from carelessness), 3. To run like one’s backside is on fire (To be in great distress).
Painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder
If I am not meant to be their keeper, I will let geese be geese (Do not interfere in matters that are not your concern), Who knows why geese go barefoot? (There is a reason for everything, though it may not be obvious).
Proverbial painting of Pieter Brueghel
The scissors hang out there (They are liable to cheat you there)
The sow pulls the bung (Negligence will be rewarded with disaster)
The world is turned upside down (Everything is the opposite of what it should be)
To always gnaw on a single bone (To continually talk about the same subject)
To bang one’s head against a brick wall (To try to achieve the impossible), One foot shod, the other bare (Balance is paramount)
To be a hen feeler (To depend on an uncertain outcome)
To be a pillar-biter (To be a religious hypocrite)
To be unable to see the sun shine on the water (To be jealous of another’s success)
To carry the day out in baskets (To waste one’s time)
To cast roses before swine (To waste effort on the unworthy)
To catch fish without a net (To profit from the work of others)
To confess to the Devil (To reveal secrets to one’s enemy)
To crap on the gallows (To be undeterred by any penalty), To keep one’s eye on the sail (To stay alert, be wary)
To crap on the world (To despise everything)
To drag the block (To be deceived by a lover or to work at a pointless task)
To even be able to tie the devil to a pillow (Obstinacy overcomes everything)
To fall from the ox onto the rear end of an ass (To fall on hard times)
To fill the well after the calf has already drowned (To take action only after a disaster)
To fish behind the net (To miss an opportunity)
To gaze at the stork (To waste one’s time)
To hang one’s cloak according to the wind (To adapt one’s viewpoint to the current opinion)
To have the roof tiled with tarts (To be very wealthy)
To have the world spinning on one’s thumb (To have every advantage)
To have to stoop to get on in the world (To succeed one must be willing to make sacrifices)
To have toothache behind the ears (To be a malingerer)
To hold a candle to the Devil (To flatter and make friends indiscriminately)
To look through one’s fingers (To turn a blind eye), There hangs the knife (To issue a challenge)
To marry under the broomstick (To live together without marrying), To stick out the broom (To have fun while the master is away)
To play on the pillory (To attract attention to one’s shameful acts)
To see bears dancing (To be starving), Wild bears prefer each other’s company (Peers get along better with each other than with outsiders)
To sit between two stools in the ashes (To be indecisive)
To sit on hot coals (To be impatient)
To throw one’s cowl over the fence (To discard something without knowing whether it will be required later)
To tie a flaxen beard to the face of Christ (To hide deceit under a veneer of Christian piety)
To toss feathers in the wind (To work fruitlessly)
To yawn against the oven (To attempt more than one can manage)
Two dogs over one bone seldom agree (To argue over a single point)
Two fools under one hood (Stupidity loves company), It grows out of the window (It cannot be concealed), To shave the fool without lather (To trick somebody)
Everything, however finely spun, finally comes to the sun (Nothing can be hidden forever)
Fear makes the old woman trot (An unexpected event can reveal unknown qualities)
Fools get the best cards (Luck can overcome intelligence), To lead each other by the nose (To fool each other)
He who has spilt his porridge cannot scrape it all up again ( Once something is done it cannot be undone)
It depends on the fall of the cards (It is up to chance)
Leave at least one egg in the nest (Always have something in reserve)
Love is on the side where the money bag hangs (Love can be bought), To pull to get the longest end (To attempt to get the advantage)
Never believe someone who carries fire in one hand and water in the other (To be two-faced and to stir up trouble)
One shears sheep, the other shears pigs, Shear them but do not skin them (One has all the advantages, the other none)
One winds on the distaff what the other spins (Both spread gossip)
Sharks eat smaller fish (Anything people say will be put in perspective according to their level of importance)
She puts the blue cloak on her husband (She deceives him)
