Anonymoumous painter from the former Low Countries - Le Raccommodeur de soufflets

Painted in a caricatural style, this work is in keeping with the moralistic trend introduced by Jerome Bosch in the fifteenth century. The scene, which can be likened to a parable of lust, conceals a somewhat ambiguous dialogue between the characters.

The text, written in old Thiois, tells us that the old lady, dressed in tatters, is interceding with the mender on behalf of her niece, who is dressed like a widow, so that he can repair her bellows. The craftsman replies that he is unable to repair the "dried-up old leather", an explicit sexual reference.

A number of elements in the composition point towards the erotic nature of the scene. The bellows symbolise lust and the stoking of an inner fire, while the owl represents seduction. Other allusions, such as madness and diabolism, can also be detected in this work, which has long been attributed to a follower of Hieronymus Bosch, who was very fond of such themes.