The Bookbinder

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 Bookbinder

Scripture Reference:

Description: In a large airy workshop and bookstore, a bookbinder is in the process of sewing the signatures of printed pages. A second binder pounds the folded signatures flat with a heavy wooden mallet. On the floor are a circular knife and a glue pot. Bound books are displayed on the bookshelves. 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 2 Timothy 3:16-17.


Motto:
The eye of the eternal being
Can read the book of thy heart.

Poem:
If knowledge lay secretly in the corners,
Of the path that leads to heaven,
It would be worth searching the whole world for:
But now that it is clearly told to Man
In the holy scripture, given by God,
He despises the holy life.

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