[ARIAS MONTANUS, Benedictus (1527-1598)]. Regi seculor immortali s. humanae salutis monumenta B. Ariae Montani studio constructa et decantata. Antwerp: Christoph Plantin, 1571 [but 1572].

[ARIAS MONTANUS, Benedictus (1527-1598)]. Regi seculor immortali s. humanae salutis monumenta B. Ariae Montani studio constructa et decantata. Antwerp: Christoph Plantin, 1571 [but 1572].

The recently identified second edition of the first Catholic emblem book—a masterpiece of Netherlandish book arts, in an Antwerp binding. Originally published in the same year as Georgette Montenay’s Huguenot work, competing for first religious emblem book. Arias Montanus wrote this work while in Antwerp supervising work on the Plantin Polyglot, and it is illustrated with seventy fine mannerist engravings after Pieter van der Borcht and Crispin van den Broek, each with a separately engraved decorative border. The borders appear in several variants and it was once thought only present in the first edition, however the existence of this second edition with borders has been identified by Funck. “The first book to integrate the overall content of a picture Bible … with the text-image format of an emblem” (Melion). All editions are rare at auction. Funck, Le Livre Belge a gravures, p. 364; Clifton and Melion, Scripture for the Eyes: Bible Illustrations in Netherlandish Prints of the 16th Century, pp. 65-75. See Landwehr no. 43-44 and Voet 588 (this edition misidentified as a variant of the first).

Octavo (214 x 129mm). Second part in two columns. Engraved title by Pieter Huys, engraved medallion of Christ by Jan Wierix, 70 full-page engravings, with decorative borders composed of botanical and zoological subjects, ruled in red throughout (Bifolium I2.7 with paper flaw at lower margin, just affecting image on I7r, I8 with very small chip to fore-edge, light soiling and browning, a few small chips and tears). Contemporary Dutch vellum with elaborate cornerpieces and large central device stamped in gilt and blind, gilt edges (lacking ties, small tear to head of spine). Provenance: “…Massiliensis” [effaced stamped ex-libris] – Anatole Delorme (?-1892, ink ownership inscription to front free endpaper dated 1858) – [Louis Le Boeuf de Montgermont (1841-1918, French general and collector)] – Edouard Rahir (bookplate; his sale: 19 May 1937, lot 1221) – Henri Burton (bookplate; his sale: Christie’s New York, 22 April 1994, lot 70) – Bernard Breslauer (1918-2004; Martin Breslauer catalogue 111, no. 100) – Ladislaus von Hoffman (“The Arcana Collection”).

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