Pieter Bruegel the Elder · 1559
40 proverbs. One painting.
In 1559, Dutch painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder hid over 100 folk proverbs inside a single chaotic village scene. Every figure is acting out a saying — a man setting the world on its head, a woman literally casting pearls before swine, a fool banging his head against a wall.
Dutch people still use most of these proverbs in daily life today. We mapped 40 of them back onto the painting. Each one reveals something true about the Dutch language — and the Dutch character.
40
proverbs
0
learned
1559
painted
How to use the map
Tap a glowing dot to reveal the proverb hidden there
Pinch to zoom into the painting — the detail is extraordinary
Tap ▶ to hear the Dutch pronunciation
Mark proverbs learned to track your restoration progress
5 proverbs free · upgrade to unlock all 40
Why Dutch proverbs matter
The Dutch have a saying for everything — and they mean it literally. Where English says "reading between the lines," Dutch says met twee maten meten — to measure with two rulers. Where English says "hiding your head in the sand," Dutch says the same thing, because Bruegel drew it first.
Learning these proverbs is a shortcut into the language. They contain grammar patterns (door- prefix, separable verbs, fixed idioms), cultural values (directness, pragmatism, dry humour), and history — all compressed into a single unforgettable phrase.
Read the full story about Bruegel and Dutch proverbs →The painting — tap a dot to explore
The Proverb Map
Bruegel, 1559 · 5/40 proverbs
The full proverb collection
De wereld op zijn kop zetten
To set the world on its head
To turn everything upside down; to cause chaos or radical change
De kat de bel aanbinden
To tie the bell on the cat
To do something dangerous that nobody else dares to do
Met de stroom meegaan
To go along with the current
To follow the crowd; to go with the flow without resisting
Twee honden vechten om een been
Two dogs fight over one bone
When two people quarrel, a third one benefits
In zijn nopjes zijn
To be in one's nops (small knots in fabric)
To be very pleased or satisfied; to be in one's element
🔒 De gek scheren
To shave the fool
🔒 De vis bij de staart houden
To hold the fish by the tail
🔒 De kop in het zand steken
To stick one's head in the sand
🔒 Iemand om de tuin leiden
To lead someone around the garden
🔒 Zich in de nesten werken
To work oneself into the nests
🔒 De nagel op zijn kop slaan
To hit the nail on its head
🔒 De gek gevangen houden
To keep the fool captured
🔒 Een wolf in schaapskleren
A wolf in sheep's clothing
🔒 In het nauw gedreven worden
To be driven into the narrow
🔒 Op hete kolen zitten
To sit on hot coals
🔒 Een kale kip plukken
To pluck a bald chicken
🔒 Er met de pet naar gooien
To throw one's cap at it
🔒 Het kind met het badwater weggooien
To throw the child out with the bathwater
🔒 Arm als een kerkrat
Poor as a church mouse
🔒 Met twee maten meten
To measure with two measures
🔒 Het roer omgooien
To throw the rudder around
🔒 Iets op zijn beloop laten
To let something take its course
🔒 De appel valt niet ver van de boom
The apple does not fall far from the tree
🔒 Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg
Just act normal, that's already crazy enough
🔒 Van een mug een olifant maken
To make an elephant out of a mosquito
🔒 Het hemd is nader dan de rok
The shirt is closer than the skirt
🔒 Iets met de mantel der liefde bedekken
To cover something with the cloak of love
🔒 Al te goed is buurmans gek
Too good is the neighbour's fool
🔒 Door de mand vallen
To fall through the basket
🔒 De pot verwijt de ketel dat hij zwart ziet
The pot accuses the kettle of being black
🔒 Leugens hebben korte benen
Lies have short legs
🔒 Een goede buur is beter dan een verre vriend
A good neighbour is better than a distant friend
🔒 Veel beloven en weinig geven doet de gek in vreugde leven
Promising much and giving little makes the fool live in joy
🔒 Geen rozen zonder doornen
No roses without thorns
🔒 Beter één vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht
Better one bird in the hand than ten in the air
🔒 Nieuwe bezems vegen schoon
New brooms sweep clean
🔒 Het paard achter de wagen spannen
To harness the horse behind the wagon
🔒 Een ezel stoot zich niet tweemaal aan dezelfde steen
A donkey doesn't bump into the same stone twice
🔒 Zo gewonnen, zo geronnen
As easily won, as easily run away
🔒 Gelegenheid maakt de dief
Opportunity makes the thief