As we have seen already, the albums abound in images of thinly-veiled erotic metaphors — here is another. To date I have noticed 5 such miniatures in the albums, only one of which certainly predates the appearance of the Philotheca Corneliana print-book in 1619 — and here the horseman’s target is a circular garland rather than an outsize finger-ring.

The speeches of the two participants are heavy with innuendo, of course!

Zartt, schon Jungfraw haltet fein still Tender fair maiden hold very still

Ewr Ringlein ich recht treffen will I want to hit your little ring right

Herr, weil ich euch halt steiff und fein Sir, while I hold very still for you

Stecht her, trefft recht das Ringlein mein prick here, hit my little ring right.

There is another example in the album of Nathaniel Schmidt (dated entries 1618-23) — I have not seen this miniature, but as it uses the 4 captioning lines of the Philotheca Corneliana verbatim, the image is doubtless similar too.

Other media

The motif was too good to be limited to manuscript paintings only! Here — with the technology updated — are a later 17C Dutch couple in a huwelijksbootje [little wedding-boat], the groom, Harmen Schrey, firing his rifle through the bride’s garland.

The motif is found on Baroque glassware too; a Silesian engraved glass goblet of c.1690 was engraved with the traditional scene and a shortened version of the familiar dialogue: Halt still du Schönes Jungfräulein / Stich her trieff recht das Rüngelein. On another 18C Bohemian glass goblet engraved with our motif

the auction-house transcribed the accompanying inscription as Schöner engel häste meiner Lanzen sticht der her treffe wie ich hästen will — followed, understandably, by (?)