Featured Old book (1877) about even older books, designed by PP Rubens.

In the 19th and the early 20th century it was normal for a museum to use old wood blocks or copper plates to sell souvenirs. Sometimes they published an entire book with these reproductions. This book was published by the Museum Plantin Moretus in Antwerp by the first conservator Max Rooses in 1877, one year after the museum opened. The book contains a description (in Dutch and French) and copper engravings of 35 book titles and portraits designed by Peter Paul Rubens and mostly engraved by Cornelis Galle the Elder.

So do you think these copper engravings are genuine?



This book I have in my collection.









This book about Seneca written by Justus Lipsius is also in my collection.





Portrait of pope Urban VIII.



Coat of arms of pope Urban VIII.




My book isn't in the best state and contains only 33 of the 35 engravings, but it was very affordable if you look what these books can make.

 

Aah just beautiful engravings. What rich prints were made! The detail is just astounding.

I haven't seen a multi-boobed person in one of these rendering before... What representation are they meant to be?

I enjoyed your site too!

 

You have a good eye! I believe is it Ephesian Artemis (Diana), the twin sister of Apollo.
Here another example from the same book, again designed by Rubens and engraved by Galle:

 

Hello, @Ex Libris -- Could you explain what you mean by "genuine"? Do you mean older, and printed from original plates? Since the same plates can be used multiple times, I just wondered about that.

The images do look very clear and detailed. That might be due to your good abilities to post the images, though.

 

Another great find EL.

Looks like they were printed using the original plates from their own vast collection.

Agree.

 

The copper plates were engraved in the 18th century and still in the museum. They also have a large collection of originsl woodcuts in their possession. As I tried to explain earlier (sorry for my poor English) it was common practice in early museums to make prints with the original copper plates/wood blocks.

I have a few of these copper engravings in my collection with a paper stamp of the Louvre museum in Paris. These prints were also made with the original copper plates in the 19th century.

Calcography du Louvre

 

Your English is very clear. I was just trying to make sure that I understood your question. I love these prints!

 

Thank you for your compliment! I don’t use anything special. I only use an old iPhone and good light (good light is more important than the camera actually).

 

The Louvre had a department of Chalcographie that continued (I think) into the 2000s. You could go through their catalog of printing plates (some hundreds of years old) and order a custom restrike. I've only owned one, and it was marked with a Louvre blind stamp as yours, and also printed on paper with a Louvre watermark.

 

Thank you, I didn’t know it was active until so recently.

 

Thanks, @Any Jewelry !