De blinde leidt de blinde

This circular engraving illustrates the biblical parable of the blind leading the blind. The lead figure is captured in mid-fall as he tumbles into a pit, while his companion follows close behind, clutching his shoulder. In the background, a church stands in a quiet landscape where other blind figures wander aimlessly.

This work reflects the Northern Humanist preoccupation with spiritual and intellectual blindness, warning against the danger of following false guides. In the context of the Haarlem Mannerists, such imagery often intersected with Neoplatonic ideas regarding the necessity of internal illumination to perceive the truth behind material appearances.