The blind leading the blind.

Engraving, 21,4 x 29,1 cm, laid paper, signed in the plate at the lower edge "Hans Bol Inventor / Pieter Verheÿden fecit" (trimmed to the borderline, tiny piece of lower left corner trimmed off, laid down on paper mount for two thirds, vert. crease, hardly visible).

Under passe-partout.

Very rare engraving with a depiction of famous proverb "The blind leading the blind" (Mat. 15:14.), alluding to poor or foolish leadership in times of crisis. At around the same time (1561), Van der Heyden had engraved another plate with the same subject which was after a now lost composition of Hieronymus Bosch. Although the latter engraving is still rather common on the market, the present engraving after a design by Hans Bol (1534-1593) is rather rare and exists only in one other copy, in the Rijksmuseum (RP-P-1878-A-1754). The overall nicely-balanced composition with the blind pilgrims holding walking sticks and the village church in the right background are indications that this engraving had served as inspiration for Bruegel's famous painting of the same subject in the Museo di Capodimonte (inv. 84-490). With French, Latin and Dutch inscriptions in the lower margin, explaining the meaning of the proverb. Very good impression of the only state.
Ref. Hollstein III:204 (Bol). - Hollstein IX:19 (Van der Heyden).