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Bruegel's Netherlandish Proverbs And Originalveröffentlichung in: Acta historiae artium : an art-historical journal of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 44 (2003), S. 191-205 YOKO MORI* BRUEGEL’S NETHERLANDISH PROVERBS AND CORRESPONDING IMAGES IN OLD JAPANESE ART Among old Dutch proverbs and those in Japanese there are many similar views of Life, wisdom and moral lessons, even though the phrasing may differ. The present author discusses twelve proverbs from Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s Nether­ landish Proverbs (1559) in Berlin and corresponding old Japanese proverbs and sayings in Japanese art to compare ex­ pressions, items of each proverb, meaning, degree of morality and other concerns. The present author also refers to some literary (Erasmus, Anna Bijns, Donaes Idinau and Carolus Tuiman and other literati) as well as visual background (misericords, engravings by Frans Hogenberg, Nicolaes Clock and other artists) before and after Bruegel’s time as parallel examples. Proverbs in Ukiyoe, illustrations of proverb books, and cartoons by Japanese artists, such as those by Utagawa Toyokuni the Elder, Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Kawanabe Kyosai, make ^ood comparisons of Bruegel’s work. Bruegel’s re­ presentation of “Casting roses before swine” corresponds to Kuniyoshi s “Gold coins to a cat.” Both indicate almost the same meaning to give valuable advice or things to those who are unable to appreciate them. However, Bruegel’s “He falls from the ox onto the ass” is meant to denote falling from a higher position to a lower one, while Kyosai’s “To jump from a cow to a horse” signifies the opposite situation; that is, a man exchanges his old wife for a young wife. In general, Japanese proverbial images give us the impression of a more comic and humorous sentiment than we find m Bruegel s didactic world. Keywords: Bruegel, Netherlandish proverb, Bijns, Idinau, blind, Japanese proverb, Kyosai Several Dutch proverbs depicted in Pieter ages, proverbs and sayings from ancient writ­ Bruegel the Elder’s Netherlandish Proverbs ings, the Bible, medieval ethical writings, folk (1559) in Berlin, seem to correspond closely to tales and the like. In particular, the Latin-Dutch °ld Japanese proverbs in meaning, although the book, Proverbia Communia, published in De­ way in which they are phrased is sometimes venter around 1480, and Erasmus’ Latin books, slightly different. However, there are, in fact, a Adages, published in Paris in 1500, in Venice in few proverbs with almost the same phrasing in 1508 and many other versions stimulated this both Dutch and Japanese. Eocusing on Bruegel s new trend. During the Renaissance, people were Painting, I would like to compare Dutch prov­ less concerned with the ars moriendi, or the art erbs with those found in Japanese art. of dying. They became much more interested in Before entering the comparison, it is worth the art of living, in how to lead a fully-aware life mentioning how proverbs became popular in of knowledge and experience. Proverbs were Bruegel’s time. Proverbs in general played an considered to be a useful way to obtain wisdom, Important role in European medieval life and lessons, warnings, humor and courage, leading Were used for pronouncing sentences at court, in to a positive life. Many humanists and educated giving speeches in parliamentary sessions and families may well have owned some books of sermons in churches, for example. Proverbs proverbs, considering them truly indispensable. were also considered an essential part of the From the late fifteenth century, numerous col­ structure of people’s thoughts. It is noteworthy lections of proverbs were published all over that from the end of the fifteenth century on­ Europe, for example, in Antwerp, Kempen, wards there was an increase in enthusiastic in­ London, Mechelen, Paris, and Rouen. They are terest in collecting, editing and publishing ad- for instance:1 (1) Caxton, William: The dictes or say- engis of the philosophhres, London * Yoko Mori, Meiji University, Tokyo; e-mail: yoko-m@ cyber66.jp 1477. Acta Ilistoriae Artium, Tomus 44, 2003 0001-5830/2003/$ 20.00 © Akaden\iai Kiad6, Budapest 192 YOKO MORI (2) Proverbia Communia-. Deventer, ca. prompte quiche, wittie and senten­ 1480; ca. 1497. tious saiynges..., London 1542. (3) Vergilius, Polydorus: Prouerbiorum (19) Le jardin d’honneur, contenant libellus, Venezia 1498. plusieurs apologies, proverbes, et (4) Erasmus: Adagiorum Collectanea, ditz moraux... , Rouen 1545. Paris 1500. (20) Bonne response a tous propos Liure (5) Erasmus: Adagiorum Chiliades, fort plaisant & delectable, auquel est Venezia 1508. contenu grand nombre de prouerbes, (6) Bebel, Heinrich: Proverbia Ger- & sentences ioyeuses... Traduit de la manica, Griininger 1508. langue italienne et reduty en nostre (7) Tunnicius, Antonius: Germanorum vulgaire franqois par order d’alpha­ paroemias studiosae iuventuti per- bet, Paris 1547/ Antwerpen 1555. utiles Monosticha..., Koln 1514. (21) Egenolff, Christian: Sprichworter / (8) Lydgate, John: The Puerbes de Schone / Weise Klugreden, Frank­ Lydgate, London 1515? furt 1548. (9) Gilles De Noyers, Jean: Proverbia (22) Seer schoone Spreeckwoorden, oft gallicana secundum ordinem al- prouerbia, in Franchoys ende phabeti reposita..., Paris 1519. Duytsch, ...Motz tresbeawc ou dic- (10) Berthelet, Thomas: Dicta sapientu. tons et prouerbes en Franchoys et I The sayenges of the wyse me of Flemmeng, Antwerpen 1549. Grece /in Latin with the Englyssche (23) Ghemeene Duytsche spreckwoor- folowyng, whiche are enterpretate den, adagia oft proverbia ghe- and truely castigate, by the moost noemt... ,Kampen 1550. famous/doctour maister/Erasmus/ (24) Zegerus, T. N.: Proverbia. Teutonica Rote... London 1526. Latinitate Donata..., Mechelen (11) Agricola, Johannes: Dreyhundert 1550 I Antwerpen 1571. gemeyner Sprichworter, Hagenau (25) Rencontres a tous propos, par prov­ 1529. erbes..., Paris 1554. (12) Palsgrave, John: L'esclarcissement de (26) Godefroy, Pierre: Proverbiorum li­ la langue Francoyse..., London 1530. ber, Paris 1555. (13) Caroli, Bovellv. ...proverbiorum vul- (27) Meurier, Gabriel: Colloqves ov garium libri tres. Paris 1531. novvelle invention de propos fa- (14) Frank, Sebastian: Sibenthalbhudert miliers ...Tsamencoutinghen, oft Sprichworter, Wie vh wo sie in nieuwe inventie van ghemeyne re- Teutsch er Spraach, von zier vh denen, Antwerpen 1557. bkiirtzung wegen der rede, ge- (28) Goedthals, Francois: Les proverbes braucht werdenn, Frankfurt 1532. anciens flamengs et frangois, corre- (15) Agricola, Johannes: Sybenhudert spondants de sentence les vns avx und fiinfftzig Teutscher Sprich- avtres, Antwerpen 1568. worter..., Hagenau 1534. (29) Le Bon, Jean (dit Hetropolitain), (16) Tauerner, Kichard: Prouerbes or Adages et proverbes de Solon de adagies: with newe additions gath­ Voge, Paris 1576. ered out of the Chiliades of Eras­ (30) Meurier, Gabriel: Thresor de sen­ mus by Richard Tauerner, London tences dorees, proverbes et diets 1539. communs..., Rouen 1578. (17) Franck, Sebastian: Sprichworter / (31) Estienne, Henri: Les premices, ou Schone / Weise / Herrliche Clugre- le s. livre des proverbes epigramma- den/ vnnd Hoffspriich..., Frankfurt tizez..., Geneve 1594. 1541. (32) Questions, proverbes et enseigne- (18) Erasmus (trans. Nicholas Udall): mens profitables a un chacun, Apophthegmes that is to saie, Paris 1599. Ada Hist. Art. Tomus 44, 2003 BRUEGELS NETHERLANDISH PROVERBS 193 It is also worth noting that from the late fif­ ages, involved in their own activities. Fie also teenth century, proverbs were already expressed included different places such as a village in an illustrated manuscript of collected French square, a field of grain, a river and the sea in poems using proverbs,2 in a tapestry3 and stalls the distance, and various buildings such as a with carvings, namely, misericords.4 From the farm, an oven-house for baking bread, a tannery lirst half of the sixteenth century, visualized and more. This picture does not necessarily proverbs, as well as the written world of pro­ symbolize the behavior of peasants, as some art verbs, became very popular, especially in paint­ historians have suggested.5 Some scholars have ings and engravings. Therefore, I refer to the argued that Bruegel confined the scene to rural sixteenth century as the “Golden Age ol Pro­ peasant society, showing the reality of irrational verbs.” This visual tradition of proverbs contin­ and foolish peasant life. This is not the case. ued until the second half of the seventeenth cen­ Although the majority of people in this painting tury in the Netherlands. Therefore, Bruegel’s are peasants, it represents people of all classes Netherlandish Proverbs {Fig- F), which includes and occupations in his time, such as a young almost more than ninety proverbs, can be seen prince, a rich landlord, some monks, a knight, as the highlight of the Golden Age for the visual soldiers, a craftsman, old and young housewives, world, in juxtaposition to Erasmus’s Adages for a fool, and many more. Even a prisoner and two the written world. devils appear here. In other words, this painting More than one hundred Japanese proverb illustrates the universal world of human behav­ books appeared before the Meiji era (1868- ior; that is, the deception, folly, failure, abuse 1912), although many proverbs have their ori­ and weakness found in any human society. In gins in Buddhistic scripts or old Chinese moral sum, it represents not only the negative aspects writings, like those by Eaozi, Kongzi and other of human beings, but also living prudence, philosophers. It is a parallel feature
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