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DOI Artikel:Bentkowska-Kafel, Anna: Navigatio Vitae: elements of Emblematic Symbolism in 17th century Dutch seascapes
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18898#0046
Yet the fish are not always the sailors' allies. The whales, the sharks and all sorts of sea mon-
sters, whose frightening power was often magnified by the artists' imagination46, created an
actual danger for the ships. The sailors defended theraselves from a monster approaching the
ship's side by throwing various loads for him to devour and thus divert his attention from the
ship. By choosing a lesser sacrifice, they gave up the goods they carried and His artibus (In thia
way, fig. 13), tried to save their lives, unfortunately, not always successfully. This method ia
illustrated in Camerarius' emblem:
Ut te ipsum et navim senes, comilesąue periculi,
In pontum cunctas abjiee divitiai7.
Among the remains in Jan Porcellis's painting Shipwreck in Moonlight (the Queen of England's-
Collection, 1612), the head of a sea monster emerges and, as is also shown in Camerarius' work,
squirts a fountain of water, and his terrifying eye bulges at the barrels and boxes afloat nearby48.
It is certainly impossible to see from the painting if the monster is the cause of the wreckage
or whether he came to prey only later.
The lighthouses on the two visible shores, the Warning signs for ships and the ships themselves
are among the other, previously discussed emblematic motifs of Jan Porcellis's painting. In Paul!
BriFs composition that shows the story of Jonas, we can also see parcels tied round with string
and thrown into the sea, just in front of a whale's mouth. This method of defence against a sea
animal was known very long ago. It penetrated emblematic literaturę where it was used for
instruction that all sorts of sacrifice, however great, wcre worthwhile when human life was at
stake. The Seaview with Two Turtles on the Shore (Munich, the Old Pinakothek, fig. 14), painted
by Adam Willaerts and Willem Ormea, shows two ships under fuli sail under the Dutch flag,
making for the unknown. They leave their country to test the uncertain fortunę of a sea voyage.
Two enormous turtles on the shore symbolize all that they have given up setting out for the
long cruise: the safe shelter, the sense of security and constancy that one gets from one's home
and homeland.
Est sua cuiąue domus tutissimus usąue receptus... Camerarius wrote under the image of a turtle
in his emblem Domus optima (There is no place like home)48. Many authors placed this requent
emblematic motif, originating in Acsop's fables50, in their books; among others, Boemer fisscher
did it in the emblem T'huys best (No place like home)51, and Juan de Boria who contrasted the
assets of one' s own home with the hardships of journey: No ay cosa mejor que la propria casa (Not-
hing is better than one's own home)52. Picinelli enriched the symbol of the turtle with other mea-
nings that could act as a warning, to those making for the open sea: Festina lente (Hastengently).
46. Cf. Hans Savery's painting A Monster, Eiih and Sea Lcgs of 1622 (Lenden, Bri£n Kcester Calleiy; rcprcducticn: L. J. Bol„
op. cit., fig. 40).
47. J. Camerarius, Symbolorum cl Emblematum ex Aaualililus et Reptililus Desumptorum Centuria ęitarla, KorimŁcrgte*
1604, e. II:
In order to save yourself, the ship and those
Who share the danger with you,
Cast all the treasures into the sea.
48. Cf. Pieter Bruegel's painting Slorm, Yicnna, Kunsthistorisehes Museum.
49. J. Camerarius, Symbolorum et Emblematum ex Ar.imalibus Quadrvpcdibus Dcsumtorum Centuria Altera..., NorimŁergac,
1595, e. XCI:
For everyone, one's own home is the most secure shelter...
50. Acsop's Fables, Fahle CVIII, Zeus and the Turtle.
51. R. Visscher, op. cit., cf. Henkel, Schóne, op. cit., eol. 6G9; F. F. vcn Mcnroy, Embltme und Emblembucher in der Nieder-
landcn 1560-—1630. Eine Geschichte der Wandlungen ihres Illustrcticnstils, hirŁufgcgehtn von H. M. von Erffa, Utrecht,.
1964, p. 59, fig. 59.
52. J. de Boria, op. cit., cf. Henkel, Sehcine, op. cii., col. CC8:
Those who fight with the hardships that the malign.' nt fate imposes cn the m end forces thtm to leave their home and
homeland, those will he well ahle to understand and express what can he read from the emblem that shows a turtle
with an inscription saying Domus optima, which means, ,,There is no place like home".
40
sters, whose frightening power was often magnified by the artists' imagination46, created an
actual danger for the ships. The sailors defended theraselves from a monster approaching the
ship's side by throwing various loads for him to devour and thus divert his attention from the
ship. By choosing a lesser sacrifice, they gave up the goods they carried and His artibus (In thia
way, fig. 13), tried to save their lives, unfortunately, not always successfully. This method ia
illustrated in Camerarius' emblem:
Ut te ipsum et navim senes, comilesąue periculi,
In pontum cunctas abjiee divitiai7.
Among the remains in Jan Porcellis's painting Shipwreck in Moonlight (the Queen of England's-
Collection, 1612), the head of a sea monster emerges and, as is also shown in Camerarius' work,
squirts a fountain of water, and his terrifying eye bulges at the barrels and boxes afloat nearby48.
It is certainly impossible to see from the painting if the monster is the cause of the wreckage
or whether he came to prey only later.
The lighthouses on the two visible shores, the Warning signs for ships and the ships themselves
are among the other, previously discussed emblematic motifs of Jan Porcellis's painting. In Paul!
BriFs composition that shows the story of Jonas, we can also see parcels tied round with string
and thrown into the sea, just in front of a whale's mouth. This method of defence against a sea
animal was known very long ago. It penetrated emblematic literaturę where it was used for
instruction that all sorts of sacrifice, however great, wcre worthwhile when human life was at
stake. The Seaview with Two Turtles on the Shore (Munich, the Old Pinakothek, fig. 14), painted
by Adam Willaerts and Willem Ormea, shows two ships under fuli sail under the Dutch flag,
making for the unknown. They leave their country to test the uncertain fortunę of a sea voyage.
Two enormous turtles on the shore symbolize all that they have given up setting out for the
long cruise: the safe shelter, the sense of security and constancy that one gets from one's home
and homeland.
Est sua cuiąue domus tutissimus usąue receptus... Camerarius wrote under the image of a turtle
in his emblem Domus optima (There is no place like home)48. Many authors placed this requent
emblematic motif, originating in Acsop's fables50, in their books; among others, Boemer fisscher
did it in the emblem T'huys best (No place like home)51, and Juan de Boria who contrasted the
assets of one' s own home with the hardships of journey: No ay cosa mejor que la propria casa (Not-
hing is better than one's own home)52. Picinelli enriched the symbol of the turtle with other mea-
nings that could act as a warning, to those making for the open sea: Festina lente (Hastengently).
46. Cf. Hans Savery's painting A Monster, Eiih and Sea Lcgs of 1622 (Lenden, Bri£n Kcester Calleiy; rcprcducticn: L. J. Bol„
op. cit., fig. 40).
47. J. Camerarius, Symbolorum cl Emblematum ex Aaualililus et Reptililus Desumptorum Centuria ęitarla, KorimŁcrgte*
1604, e. II:
In order to save yourself, the ship and those
Who share the danger with you,
Cast all the treasures into the sea.
48. Cf. Pieter Bruegel's painting Slorm, Yicnna, Kunsthistorisehes Museum.
49. J. Camerarius, Symbolorum et Emblematum ex Ar.imalibus Quadrvpcdibus Dcsumtorum Centuria Altera..., NorimŁergac,
1595, e. XCI:
For everyone, one's own home is the most secure shelter...
50. Acsop's Fables, Fahle CVIII, Zeus and the Turtle.
51. R. Visscher, op. cit., cf. Henkel, Schóne, op. cit., eol. 6G9; F. F. vcn Mcnroy, Embltme und Emblembucher in der Nieder-
landcn 1560-—1630. Eine Geschichte der Wandlungen ihres Illustrcticnstils, hirŁufgcgehtn von H. M. von Erffa, Utrecht,.
1964, p. 59, fig. 59.
52. J. de Boria, op. cit., cf. Henkel, Sehcine, op. cii., col. CC8:
Those who fight with the hardships that the malign.' nt fate imposes cn the m end forces thtm to leave their home and
homeland, those will he well ahle to understand and express what can he read from the emblem that shows a turtle
with an inscription saying Domus optima, which means, ,,There is no place like home".
40