Plate 54

"A Chimera"

 

Moriae Encomium

Illustrated by Hans Holbein the Younger

 

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching Envelope)

Code: H ME54 SGC
Price: US$5.00

Reproduction on 8x12" sheet

Code: H ME54 8x12
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Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: H ME54 12x18
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Holbein's illustration shown in Plate 54 from Moriae Encomium is associated with the following text drawn from

John Wilson's 1668 translation:

 

There remains yet the fifth act in which one would think they should show their mastery. And

here they bring in some foolish insipid fable out of Speculum Historiale or Gesta Romanorum

and expound it allegorically, tropologically, and anagogically. And after this manner do they

and their chimera, and such as Horace despaired of compassing when he wrote "Humano

capiti," etc. 

 

 

The associated French text from L'Eloge de la Folie (1728) follows:

 

Nous voici, enfin, au cinquieme Acte de la Commedie, & par conséquent dans la partie de la

Piece où il faut se surpasser. Ils vous tirent ici du magasin de leur mémoire, un Conte sot &

ridicule, tiré peut-être du Miroir Historial, ou des Gestes des Romains; & ils tournent cette Fable,

ils la manient allégoriquement, tropologiquement, anagogiquement: quels gros mots! Ainsi

finit leur Discours: Discours qui, par l'étrange diversité des ses parties, est plus Monstre, plus

Chimere, que celle qu'Horace met à le tête de son Art Poëtique.