Jan Luiken - [EMBEMATA JAN LUYKEN / EX-LIBRIS Wilco C. Poortman] De onwaardige wereld, vertoond in vyftig - 1749

Jan Luiken was a notable Dutch engraver and artist of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, celebrated for his detailed emblem books—collections combining symbolic images with moral or religious themes. "De onwaardige wereld, vertoond in vyftig" (The Unworthy World, shown in Fifty) is an emblematic work likely containing fifty engravings portraying the moral decay or folly of worldly life, a common theme in Christian didactic literature of the time. Emblem books served both educational and devotional purposes, intertwining visual art with prose or poetry to convey ethical lessons. This work also includes an ex-libris for Wilco C. Poortman, known for collections of emblems and Dutch art. Jan Luiken’s works are important for understanding Dutch religious art and emblem traditions in the Baroque period.