The Bleacher

Book Title: Spiegel van het menselyk bedryf : vertoonende honderd verscheiden ambachten, konstig afgebeeld en met godlyke spreuken en stichtelyke verzen verryke / door Jan en Kasper Luiken

Author: Luiken, Jan, 1649-1712

Image Title: The Bleacher

Scripture Reference:

Description: The bleacher scoops water to wet the linen that women on the bleaching field have spread out. In the background, there is a two-horse cart with more linen. The Dutch artist and poet Jan Luiken (1649-1712) was responsible for drawing this emblem and for creating the motto and poem that follow. Jan Luiken and/or his son Casper Luiken (1672-1708) were responsible for its etching. The attendant scripture text is Revelation 7:13-17.


Motto:
How thou dost boast about thy neatness,
While wearing out the soul’s garment soiled!

Poem:
Whenever the linen garment becomes soiled,
It will again be made pure white;
But the inner garment, that would please God
Lacks water and soap,
And is worn until it stinks,
With surface next to surface, and stripe next to stripe.

(Translation by Josephine V. Brown, with editorial assistance from William G. Stryker)
.

Click here for additional images available from this book.

Request a high-resolution file (fees apply)

Rights Statement: The online edition of this work in the public domain, i.e., not protected by copyright, has been produced by Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.
Rights Status: No Copyright - United States
Pitts Theology Library provides copyright information as a courtesy and makes no representation about copyright or other legal status of materials in the Digital Image Archive.