Emblem books are a particular style of illustrated book developed in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, normally containing about one hundred picture and text combinations.

Each combination consisted of a woodcut or engraving (emblems) accompanied by one or more short texts, intended to inspire readers to reflect on a general moral lesson derived from the reading of both picture and text together.

The picture was potentially subject to numerous interpretations: only by reading the text could a reader be certain which meaning was intended by the author.