Santos, Descripcion del Real Monasterio de S. Lorenzo del Escorial, Madrid, 1681, contemporary limp vellum

Santos, Francisco de los. Descripcion del Real Monasterio de S. Lorenzo del Escorial, unica maravilla del mundo, fabrica del prudentissimo Rey Filipo Segundo… reedificada por nuestro Rey, y Señor Carlos II despues del incendio. Dedicada a su magestad Catholica: por el padre fr. Francisco de Los Santos, professo de la misma real casa… historiador general de la Orden de san Geronimo. Madrid: Bernardo de Villadiego, 1681

A detailed description of the Real Monasterio de S. Lorenzo del Escorial, a sixteenth-century monastic complex created by King Philip II (1527-1598) and Juan Batista de Toledo, his architect. It was first printed in 1657 and this is the third edition. 

Francisco de los Santos was a Hieronymite monk living within the monastery at the Escorial. Of particular interest in this work is a small chapter dedicated to the library, and his informative description of the Royal Pantheon, for which he details architectural features, engravings and ground plans. Santos provides evidence of the architectural and decorative changes made by various Habsburgs to the Escorial complex in subsequent editions of his work.

Folio (289 x 198 mm). Roman type: 41 lines plus headline. collation: ¶⁶ A-Z⁶ Aa-Ee6 (Aa missigned): 174 leaves. Woodcut initials and tailpieces, 11 engraved plates, 9 of which are folding. (Folding plates after V6, X2, X4 with minor tears to folds, folding plate after Aa2 with small tear with failing repair, folding plates after X5, Z5, Aa1 with large tears, some dampstaining.)

binding: Contemporary limp vellum (293 x 207 mm), slight foredge flaps, traces of 2 pair of fabric ties, title written in ink on spine. (Binding soiled and creased with a few small tears at edges.)

acquisition: Purchased in 2012 from Librairie Ancienne Ormara, Paris. references: Palau 300552