The Ringling Art Library
Iohannis de Brunes I.C. Emblemata
Title: Iohannis de Brunes I.C. Emblemata, of, Zinne-werck: voorghestelt, in Beelden, ghedichten, en breeder uijtlegginghen, tot uijt-druckinghe, en verbeteringhe van verscheijden feijlen onser eeuwe.
Authors: Brune, Johan de 1588-1658; Gelle, Johann d. 1625, emgraver; Le Blon, Christof d. 1665, engraver; Passe, Willem van d 1598-ca.1637, engraver; Venne, Adriaen Pietersz van de 1589-1662, artist.
Publisher: T'Amsterdam: bij Ian Iacobsz Schipper op de Keysers gracht.
Publication Date: 1661
Physical Description: Engraved, and 52 copperplate illustrations. Rebound in grey board and red leather, edges sprinkled blue. 378 pages, 24 cm. Red and yellow striped headbands.
Call Number: N 7740 .B7 1661
About this book:: This is an emblem book written by the Dutch poet Johan de Brune. The book contains a total of 51 emblems, each with a caption indicating the moral, followed by an engraving and a rhyme. This is followed by an explanation of varying length. The images used with the text were often seen as ambiguous and are usually interpreted differently by various scholars. The images varied between the secular Dutch Reformed Church and themes of the Dutch Golden Age (Wikipedia).
For a much more in-depth look into this book, one can read the chapter in Emblems of the Low Countries: A Book Historical Perspective by Marleen van der Weij. She wrote an entire chapter called “ ‘A Good Man, Burgher and Christian’: the intended reader in Johan de Brune’s Emblemata” that is dedicated to this book. From pages 111-128, she discusses in detail the value of the book, the background of the type of reader that De Brune was tailoring to and some of the major themes in the emblems.
Van der Weij declares that “in modern studies the emblem book of Johan de Brune is usually described as one of the finest examples of Dutch emblem literature.” She points out that this praise is mainly due to the illustrations, but also not to disregard the prose commentaries, which showcase the writing talents of De Brune. De Brune dedicated his emblems to Steven Tenijs, who was an influential man in Middleburg and a friend to the De Brune family.
Evidentially, De Brune’s intended audience were educated and privileged Christian males. His emblems are full of sexual morality and often reinforce double standards between women and men. De Brune assumes that his readers are active and influential participants in religion and politics (124). Each of his emblems reflect Protestant-Christian principles. The author then further illustrates these themes in selected emblems.
There are several editions, the first one being published in Amsterdam in 1624. A second one was published in 1636. The Ringling edition was from 1661.
Sources cited:
Emblemata of Zinne-werck. (n.d.) Retrieved June 10, 2015 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emblemata_of_Zinne-werck
Weij, Marleen Van Der (2003). “’A Good Man, Burgher and Christian’: the intended reader in Johan de Brune’s Emblemata”. In Alison Adams, Marleen van der Weij. Emblems of the Low Countries: Book Historical Perspective. Librarie Droz. pp. 111-28. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
Iohannis de Brunes I.C. Emblemata
Title: Iohannis de Brunes I.C. Emblemata, of, Zinne-werck: voorghestelt, in Beelden, ghedichten, en breeder uijtlegginghen, tot uijt-druckinghe, en verbeteringhe van verscheijden feijlen onser eeuwe.
Authors: Brune, Johan de 1588-1658; Gelle, Johann d. 1625, emgraver; Le Blon, Christof d. 1665, engraver; Passe, Willem van d 1598-ca.1637, engraver; Venne, Adriaen Pietersz van de 1589-1662, artist.
Publisher: T'Amsterdam: bij Ian Iacobsz Schipper op de Keysers gracht.
Publication Date: 1661
Physical Description: Engraved, and 52 copperplate illustrations. Rebound in grey board and red leather, edges sprinkled blue. 378 pages, 24 cm. Red and yellow striped headbands.
Call Number: N 7740 .B7 1661
About this book:: This is an emblem book written by the Dutch poet Johan de Brune. The book contains a total of 51 emblems, each with a caption indicating the moral, followed by an engraving and a rhyme. This is followed by an explanation of varying length. The images used with the text were often seen as ambiguous and are usually interpreted differently by various scholars. The images varied between the secular Dutch Reformed Church and themes of the Dutch Golden Age (Wikipedia).
For a much more in-depth look into this book, one can read the chapter in Emblems of the Low Countries: A Book Historical Perspective by Marleen van der Weij. She wrote an entire chapter called “ ‘A Good Man, Burgher and Christian’: the intended reader in Johan de Brune’s Emblemata” that is dedicated to this book. From pages 111-128, she discusses in detail the value of the book, the background of the type of reader that De Brune was tailoring to and some of the major themes in the emblems.
Van der Weij declares that “in modern studies the emblem book of Johan de Brune is usually described as one of the finest examples of Dutch emblem literature.” She points out that this praise is mainly due to the illustrations, but also not to disregard the prose commentaries, which showcase the writing talents of De Brune. De Brune dedicated his emblems to Steven Tenijs, who was an influential man in Middleburg and a friend to the De Brune family.
Evidentially, De Brune’s intended audience were educated and privileged Christian males. His emblems are full of sexual morality and often reinforce double standards between women and men. De Brune assumes that his readers are active and influential participants in religion and politics (124). Each of his emblems reflect Protestant-Christian principles. The author then further illustrates these themes in selected emblems.
There are several editions, the first one being published in Amsterdam in 1624. A second one was published in 1636. The Ringling edition was from 1661.
Sources cited:
Emblemata of Zinne-werck. (n.d.) Retrieved June 10, 2015 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emblemata_of_Zinne-werck
Weij, Marleen Van Der (2003). “’A Good Man, Burgher and Christian’: the intended reader in Johan de Brune’s Emblemata”. In Alison Adams, Marleen van der Weij. Emblems of the Low Countries: Book Historical Perspective. Librarie Droz. pp. 111-28. Retrieved July 1, 2015.