Netherlandish Proverbs (also called Flemish Proverbs, The Blue Cloak or The Topsy Turvy World) is a 1559 oil-on-oak-panel painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder which depicts a land populated with literal renditions of Dutch/Flemish proverbs of the day. (high-res)
The picture is overflowing with references and most of the representations can still be identified: as well you’ll see.
To even be able to tie the devil to a pillow (Obstinacy overcomes everything)
.
To bang one’s head against a brick wall (To try to achieve the impossible)
One foot shod, the other bare (Balance is paramount)
.
To bell the cat (To carry out a dangerous or impractical plan)
To be armed to the teeth (To be heavily armed)
To put your armor on (To be angry)
.
The herring does not fry here (It’s not going according to plan)
To fry the whole herring for the sake of the roe (To do too much to achieve a little)
To get the lid on the head (To end up taking responsibility)
.
To sit between two stools in the ashes (To be indecisive)
.
To crap on the world (To despise everything)
.
To be pissing against the moon (To waste one’s time on a futile endeavour)
To have toothache behind the ears (To be a malingerer)
.
To shave the fool without lather (To trick somebody)
Two fools under one hood (Stupidity loves company)
.
To toss feathers in the wind (To work fruitlessly)
.
To gaze at the stork (To waste one’s time)
.
To wipe one’s backside on the door (To treat something lightly)
To go around shouldering a burden (To imagine that things are worse than they are)
One beggar pities the other standing in front of the door (Being afraid for competition)
.
If the blind lead the blind both will fall in the ditch (There is no point in being guided by others who are equally ignorant)
.
To crap on the gallows (To be undeterred by any penalty)
.
Who knows why geese go barefoot? (There is a reason for everything, though it may not be obvious)
If I am not meant to be their keeper, I will let geese be geese (Do not interfere in matters that are not your concern)
.
To hold an eel by the tail (To undertake a difficult task)
.
To take the hen’s egg and let the goose’s egg go (To make a bad decision)
.
To have to stoop to get on in the world (To succeed one must be willing to make sacrifices)
.
To confess to the Devil (To reveal secrets to one’s enemy)
.
And you can see the rest here.
Source: s3.imagediver.org
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