Plantin Press and the Copper Engraving

Evangeliorium Dominicalium Summaria, Sanctorumq. Historiae paucissimis verbis expressae, iuxta Kalendarium Romanum; cum Iconibus in aere excusiis [bound with:] Sanctorum Kalendarii Romani...Imagines in Aere Excisae.

Antwerp: Christopher Plantin, 1580.

Price: $1,500.00

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About the item

Two books in one volume. First title lacking final signature g; 96 [of 112] pp. and 47 [of 55] engraved vignettes after Pieter van der Borcht. Second title lacking two leaves G7 & G8, 462 [of 464] pp. and numerous copper engravings after van der Borcht. Each with vignette title page, each leaf with copper-engraved vignette on recto, printed text beneath; versos blank except for double-ruled border and pagination. 1 vols. 16mo. Plantin Press and the Copper Engraving. Bound in contemporary crimson morocco, covers with elaborate blind-stamped borders and panel with blind-stamped cornerpieces, around a central circulal gilt-stamped cipher 'IHS'.... Title page a little soiled and stained, perforation in leaf C3 into image of plate, neat repair to margin of leaf D2. Lovely little book in a an attractive contemporary binding, lacking clasps. Voet 1152; 865.

Item #29182

The first part is a visual telling of the Gospels, with a copper-engraved vignette accompanied by short text for each Sunday of the year. The second part is a Calendar of Saints, according to the Roman Calendar adopted by the Council of Trent. An lovely example of Plantin's pioneering use of the copper-engraving, as opposed to the woodcut, for book illustration.
According to Voet, "In fact the EVANGELIORUM DOMINICALIUM SUMMARIAi..., notwithstanding that it is presented formally as a separate publication, was considered to form an integral part of the IMAGINES IN AERE EXCISAE, and was normall sold together with it.
The engraver of the second title was Paul Uten Waele, who quite possibly engraved the first series as well.