Book Title: Spiegel van het menselyk bedrijf : in kleuren vertoond met honderd verbeeldingen, van ambachten, konsten, hanteeringen en bedryven, met verzen / Jan en Kasper Luiken.

Author: Luiken, Jan, 1649-1712

Image Title: The Goldbeater: Under the covering Lies loss

Scripture Reference:

• Luke 16 (further images / scripture text)

Description: Using a large mallet, the goldbeater pounds a lump of gold placed on a large stone into a thin sheet, while a dog sleeps at his side. To the left of him, a worker is gilding a book. In the shop in front of the workplace, a woman shows a gilded book to a man who carries a wooden frame that is to be gilded. 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 Luke 16:19-31. Motto: Under the covering/ Lies loss. Poem: The gilded adornment, looking like gold, / Is in its core worthless wood: /Oh Clever man, where are your eyes? /The world’s luster is only a façade, / Inside it will be disgraceful, /An artist has deceived you. (Translation by Josephine V. Brown, with editorial assistance from William G. Stryker).

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