The Commonplace Book

Woodcuts and pictures from other people’s books, copied out with a caption apiece, as early modern readers kept commonplace books. First gathered on Twitter: #WoodcutWednesday, #NotALion and the manuscripts.

Sixteenth century

A sexy #NotAnElephant with some killer, long legs. (With bonus #NotALion)

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

Backseat drivers are terrible, but piggy-back drivers are even worse.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

SHARE IF YOU AGREE!

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

Armed with folk tales about storks, Rafe developed a fool-proof birth-control method.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

When he takes your invitation to see your water wheel as some sort of euphemism.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

A splendid #NotADolphin.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

“Dammit, Carl. Stop looking at my junk, my eyes are down here.”

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

When there’s only one chaperone on the school trip.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

Grad school personified.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

When you think you're at the strip club, but you're really in your attic. Make it rain!

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

Raul, after trying endlessly on Twitter, decided on mansplaining to the birds.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

The writing process emblamatized.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

It’s time to declare war on gluten. A gluten-free firing-squad.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

50 Shades of Tyranny.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

SHARE IF YOU AGREE!

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

Angels are dicks.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

The drive home from work.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

I post this reluctantly, wary that the Nietzscheans among you might go mad.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

When your academic rival has a book checked out that's central to your research.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

That awkward moment when you mistake his invitation to Netflix and Chill.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

Jesus take the quill.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

An rare image of @senseshaper making woodcuts.

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

An image of an oyster biting the head of a mouse. (Mainly for @KarlSteel)

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)

Sixteenth century

SHARE IF YOU AGREE!

From: Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes, and other deuises, for the moste parte gathered…
Printed: 1586
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 25438)