Illustratie bij de vijfde zang van Le Lutrin door Nicolas Boileau Despréaux 1674 - 1740

This illustration, created by Pierre Lemesle between 1674 and 1740, depicts a scene from the fifth canto of Nicolas Boileau Despréaux's satirical poem *Le Lutrin*. The scene is a chaotic gathering of people reacting to an event, possibly the fall of a central figure, who appears to be sprawled on the ground, surrounded by books. The artwork’s detailed depiction of the scene highlights the comedic elements of the poem, capturing the bustling and humorous nature of the event. It exemplifies the use of illustration to engage viewers with literary works, adding a visual layer to the textual narrative. This drawing is an important example of how artistic works can be used to interpret and visualize literary texts.