Featured Large Plantin illustrated Bible (1583)

This is a new addition to my collection: a large Bible printed in 1583 by Christophe Plantin (~1520-1589). The book is bound in a probably 17th century leather binding and looks like this:

1. The title page or frontispiece looks like this. It makes clear it is a Latin Catholic (vulgate) Bible according to the Louvain (Leuven) - translation. This page was designed by Crispijn van den Broeck and engraved by Abraham de Bruyn.

The Bible is illustrated with more than 80 beautiful copper engravings in the text by different artist like Pieter van den Borcht, Crispijn van den Broeck, Joannes Sadeler, Joannes Wierix. In this time it was very special and costly to print copper engravings in the text, normally woodcuts were you for it. Copper engravings needed another press.
These letters were designed by Claude Garamond, a font that is still used today and was very modern and luxurious in the 16th century.



This engraving is signed by the designer (Crispijn van den Broek - Chrispine) and the engraver (Joannes (Hans) Wierix - IHW)




An overview of the copper engravings.


There are also 2 (of 3) maps and a few full page engravings in the book, the same engravings as in Plantin's Polyglot Bible. Most of these engravings are made by Pieter Huijs. The world map is missing as in most of these books (that sales for thousands and thousands of euro's).

Map of Canaan.




A full page engraving, signed by Pieter Huijs (can you find it?)


The book contains beautiful capitals, mostly made by Antoni van der Leest in the first half of the 1570's. Strangely these capitals do not have a religious theme.



I really like it when I find an anomaly like this. A capital Greek letter Lambda (Λ) used as a V. The capital is dated 1573.


I can tell a lot more about the book and I'm still researching it, but the last thing I found out are several water marks of paper maker from Troyes in France. This makes my book nerd heart happy

 

Thank you for showing some of your wonderful collection here.

 

Stunning, and what adds to this story is that the volume found a loving appreciative home.

 

Nice and now in a safe place. If it turned up here some jackelope might cut it up for the pictures.

 

Such great research! Thank you for posting it!

 

What a great thing with such beautiful details. Thanks tor you showing us and providing the interesting info..