Arkivism
Phlegmatic temperament
Public domain

Phlegmatic temperament

Raphaël Sadeler (I) · 1583 · plakken; engraving; hand coloring; paper; parchment (animal material)

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

A naked man sits on a broken fishing boat. Water lilies bloom at his feet. Next to him stands a naked woman with fish in her hands and shells in her long hair. She also has a crescent moon, the symbol of Diana, on her head. They personify people with a phlegmatic temperament. Behind them fishermen are hauling in the nets, and on land the fish are being put into barrels. At the top left, center, and right the zodiac signs: Cancer, Pisces, and Virgo, which correspond to the element water. Below the image a four-line poem in Latin. This print is part of an album.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Credit lineFlegmatisch temperament. 1583. Raphaël Sadeler (I). Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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