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The secret meaning of Peter Bruegel's painting: more than a hundred encrypted proverbs
The secret meaning of Peter Bruegel's painting: more than a hundred encrypted proverbs

Video: The secret meaning of Peter Bruegel's painting: more than a hundred encrypted proverbs

Video: The secret meaning of Peter Bruegel's painting: more than a hundred encrypted proverbs
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Painting by Pieter Bruegel Flemish proverbs
Painting by Pieter Bruegel Flemish proverbs

"Like a head against a wall," "to swim against the current," "to lead each other by the nose" - we all know these proverbs, and, interestingly, they can be found almost unchanged in other languages. Moreover, they have existed for several centuries: back in the 16th century (1559), the Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel painted the painting "Flemish Proverbs," in which he encrypted more than 100 proverbs of his time.

1. Bang your head against the wall

Meaning: Trying to achieve the impossible
Meaning: Trying to achieve the impossible

2. One foot is shod, the other is barefoot

Meaning: Imbalance
Meaning: Imbalance

3. Arm yourself to the teeth

Meaning: Prepare well
Meaning: Prepare well

4. Shears (sheep), but do not take off their skins

Meaning: Use your opportunities wisely
Meaning: Use your opportunities wisely

5. How the card will fit

Meaning: Depends on the case
Meaning: Depends on the case

Painting " Flemish proverbs"(Dutch. Nederlandse Spreekwoorden) also has a second name" World upside down "and depicts the literal meanings of Dutch proverbs. Pieter Bruegel (Pieter Bruegel) did not leave decryptions of all his ideas, so we can only rely on later decryptions of what is depicted. So, at the moment, art connoisseurs have found about a hundred proverbs encrypted in the picture, but, most likely, there are even more of them, just some of the proverbs are outdated and have lost their meaning.

6. The world has turned upside down

Meaning: Everything is not as it should be / as it was before
Meaning: Everything is not as it should be / as it was before

7. Lead each other by the nose

Meaning: To fool, deceive each other
Meaning: To fool, deceive each other

8. The die is cast

Meaning: The decision has been made
Meaning: The decision has been made

9. Look through your fingers

Meaning: Consciously not to notice something, to be condescending
Meaning: Consciously not to notice something, to be condescending

10. Run like your ass is on fire

Meaning: To be in great trouble
Meaning: To be in great trouble

Almost simultaneously with Bruegel, the French writer François Rabelais described the diverse world of proverbs in his novel Pantagruel. This work helped to decipher some of the proverbs that have now been completely forgotten. Almost every detail in the picture corresponds to one or another proverb, and some characters even depict several at once. For example, a man in armor tying a bell on a cat has three meanings at once: 1. "Hanging a bell on a cat" (to commit a dangerous and unreasonable act); 2. Arm yourself to the teeth (prepare well); 3. Bite iron (lie, do not be shy). Today the painting "Flemish Proverbs" is exhibited at the Berlin Art Gallery.

11. Together they go to the same toilet

Meaning: They are in complete agreement with each other
Meaning: They are in complete agreement with each other

12. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit

Meaning: There is no point in learning from an ignoramus
Meaning: There is no point in learning from an ignoramus

13. Swim upstream

Meaning: Overcoming many obstacles
Meaning: Overcoming many obstacles

14. Between Heaven and Earth

Meaning: To find yourself in a difficult situation
Meaning: To find yourself in a difficult situation

15. Sit on coals

Meaning: Be impatient, expect trouble
Meaning: Be impatient, expect trouble

Another painting by Pieter Bruegel, The Adoration of the Magi, received a bad name - it is believed that everyone who acquired it could not have a child for 10-12 years. And what is the reason for such a "bad influence" - read in our article " Notoriety: paintings you don't want to be next to. "

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