Molanus, De picturis et imaginibus sacris liber unus, Louvain, 1570, contemporary vellum

Molanus, Joannes (Jean Van der Moelen). De picturis et imaginibus sacris, liber unus: tractans de vitandis circa eas abusibus, & de earundem significationibus. Authore Ioanne Molano Lovaniensi, Sacrae Theologiae Licentiato, & Lovanii ordinario Professore. Eiusdem Responsio Quodlibetica, ad tres quaestiones, quae versa pagina indicantur. Louvain: Hieronymus Welleus, 1570

First edition of Molanus's Counter-Reformation view of art and the depiction of religious figures, in which he opined that religious art should follow the Bible more closely rather than showing popular themes such as George and the Dragon, and certainly not including any nudity, but also adhering more closely to biblical descriptions of events. Molanus (or Jean van der Moelen, 1533-1585) was a Louvain theologian whose book on sacred art became the standard by which artists would be judged; after the Council of Trent, all religious art needed to adhere to the new restrictions. One of these was the avoidance of using real people to depict saints, something Caravaggio notably failed to do.

12mo (117 x 68 mm). Roman and italic type, 31 lines plus headline. collation: A-Y^8.4 Z⁸ Aa-Kk^4.8 Ll⁴: 204 leaves (last leaf blank). Woodcut device on title-page, a few manuscript annotations. (Cut somewhat close, a few headlines and marginalia shaved, small wormholes in gutter.)

binding: Contemporary vellum (123 x 80 mm), faded manuscript lettering on spine, faded blue edges. (Pastedowns no longer stuck to boards.)

provenance: Pertinet ad Pastoratus de Rijkshevorsil [Rijkevorsel, Antwerp], inscription on flyleaf. acquisition: Purchased in 2013 from Sokol Books, London. references: USTC 401471