Jesus healing the leper; at the foot, doctors dissecting a dead body and
lecturing to a numerous audience; at the sides, full-length portraits of
the most celebrated physicians of antiquity; in the centre of the plate is
a scroll bearing the Latin title transcribed above. This frontispiece was,
doubtless, used with others of the works of Galen.
Simon de Colines also published, in 1536, an edition of the works of
Galen, under the supervision of the same editor (folio of 172 pages), and
embellished with five beautiful floriated letters engraved by Tory. In it
we find also, at the head of the epistle to the reader, an ornamental S
surmounted by a coat of arms,--a charming design, but not signed.
1532
LATIN BIBLE of 1532; folio; Robert Estienne.
The title-page is decorated with a frieze signed with the Lorraine cross,
bearing the word 'Biblia' in large letters. It is a scroll surrounded by
vines, with the brazen serpent at the left, and Jesus on the Cross at the
right.
1533
The BON MESNAGER of Pierre des Crescens, printed by Nicolas
Cousteau for Galliot Dupré. Folio, 1533. The frontispiece, representing
Dupré presenting the book to François I, is signed with the Lorraine cross.
* * * * *
Inasmuch as Tory died in 1533, it will, perhaps, seem that I ought to stop
here in this enumeration. But as many engravings executed by his own hand
were not printed until later, and, moreover, as those signed with the
Lorraine cross alone came from his establishment, which was managed by
his wife after his death, I have thought best to pursue my investigations
concerning the engravings with the Lorraine cross to the end.
1534
I. SERMONES IUDOCI CLICHTOVEI NEOPORTUEN. DOCTORIS
THEOLOGI ET CARNOTEN. CANONICI.
Folio, Paris, Thielman Kerver's widow, 1534. The privilege is dated 1534.
(Bibliothèque S.-Geneviève, and Bibliothèque Mazarine.)
The Latin title which I have transcribed is engraved in great gothic
letters, arranged in the shape of a cul-de-lampe, and terminated by a
small black heart-shaped ornament (not unlike those used by Simon de
Colines), in which is the Lorraine cross. This circumstance leads me to
believe that Tory engraved this title-page in gothic letters; a most
interesting fact if true, for they are probably the only letters in that
style that he ever engraved, after those on folios 42 verso, 74, etc. of
'Champ fleury'; and it is all the more strange because the rest of the
book is printed in roman type. It may be that there was another edition in
gothic type.
However, this volume contains many other engravings signed with the
Lorraine cross, and others which, although unsigned, seem to be Tory's.
Folio 1, following the title, a large T, adorned with fleurs-de-lis, on a
background strewn with the same flowers.
Folio 5 verso, a large ornamental P, representing the Eternal Father.
Folio 19, the Virgin in a halo of fire, with the Child Jesus (signed).
Folio 21, Jesus among the Apostles, holding a saw (signed).
Folio 43, Moses receiving the Tables (signed).
Folio 63 verso, the Ark in the form of a church (signed).
Folio 77, the Annunciation, in an oval border (octavo).
Folio 88, Birth of Jesus (small octavo).
Folio 135, the Resurrection (signed).
Folio 148, the Ascension (signed).
Folio 154 verso, the Virgin among the Apostles (small octavo).
Folio 157 verso, the Trinity (signed).
Folio 161, Easter (signed).
Folio 221, Birth of the Virgin. She is in her mother's womb, holding the
Child Jesus (octavo).
Folio 325, Jesus tempted by the Devil (octavo).
The octavo engravings appear in several other books printed by the Kervers.
* * * * *
II. PAULI BELMISSERI PONTREMULANI, ARTIUM ET MEDICINÆ
DOCTORIS, EQUITIS, ET POETÆ LAUREATI, OPERA POETICA.
Quarto, of 108 numbered, plus 4 preliminary unnumbered leaves.
Printed in 1534, but with no name of printer or bookseller. On the
first page is a quarto plate, representing the author crowned with
laurel, standing between François I and Clement VII. Beneath these three
personages are their respective arms, and above their heads their names:
Franciscus, Paulus, Clemens. The Lorraine cross is at the foot, on the
left. The same plate appears on the last page.
1535
LES TROYS PREMIERS LIVRES DE L'HISTOIRE DE DIODORE SICILIEN,
TRANSLATEZ DE LATIN EN FRANÇOYS, PAR ANT. MACAULT.... On les
vent a Paris, en la rue de la Juifverie, devant la Magdaleine, à
l'enseigne du Pot Cassé....[367]
Quarto, 1535. This book is embellished with a magnificent frontispiece
representing Macault presenting his book to François I. Although unsigned,
it is certainly Tory's.
'His chef-d'œuvre,' says M. Renouvier,[368] 'is, perhaps, the frontispiece
of Macault's "Diodorus," in which we see François I seated in a chair
with a back carved with fleurs-de-lis, at table with his children, his
monkey, his greyhound, and his courtiers, while Macault reads his book to
him. This engraving, the authorship of which is unquestionable, does
not bear the Lorraine cross; the master published without that mark many
another work which M. Bernard, in his scrupulous exactitude, has chosen
not to mention. As some compensation for the works which I have denied
to Tory, I may be allowed the pleasure of mentioning here one which M.
Bernard has not attributed to him: "Les Fables d'Esopes mises en rithme
françois," by Gilles Corrozet (Paris, Denys Janot, 1542). As the copy that
I saw is not complete, it may be that the Lorraine cross might have been
found somewhere in the book; but, in any event, that would not change the
conviction based upon examination of the plates. The small engravings,
with the first four lines of the fables, are set in borders decorated with
pilasters and pediments in the master's style, and illustrated at the
base with tiny drawings of amorous subjects, treated with his somewhat
heavy-handed delicacy.
[Illustration]
'There came from Tory's establishment, in the later years, many engravings
of blended types which can be attributed to none but pupils, or even
apprentices; analysis will always be impossible; when we have cast a light
upon the head of a school, we must leave the tail to languish in the
shadow. I will mention here, however, one pupil of Geofroy Tory, whom M.
Bernard does not mention, namely, François Gryphe, brother of Sébastien
Gryphe of Lyon. He engraved and printed, in 1539, a New Testament which,
as very rarely happens, mentions the engraver of the plates on the
title-page as well as in the privileges from the King and the Parliament
which stand at the beginning and end of the book respectively. "Novum
testamentum illustratum insignium rerum simulacris, cum ad veritatem
historiæ, tum ad venustatem, singulari artificio expressis." (Here the
mark of the griffin.) "Excudebat Fran. Gryphius, AN. MDXXXIX."
And in the privilege: "Francoys Gryphius, bookseller, printer and
tradesman, commorant in Paris ... prayed that he be permitted to cause to
be printed and sold the New Testament, illustrated by him."
'The volume is a small octavo; the Lorraine cross does not appear, but
there is a letter L engraved by Tory, and a series of small plates
executed with a delicacy instinct with firmness, in accordance with types,
attitudes and rules which can belong to no other school than his.'[369]
1536
I. HORÆ IN LAUDEM BEATISSIME VIRGINIS MARIÆ AD USUM
ROTHOMAGENSEM. PARISIIS, AD INSIGNE VASIS EFFRACTI, 1536.
Small octavo, roman type, line engravings.[370]
* * * * *
II. LAZARII BAYFII ANNOTATIONES, etc.
Quarto, Robert Estienne, 1536.
Charles Estienne, brother of the printer, who seems to have been the
editor of this book, informs us, in a brief preface, that the drawings
scattered through it were taken by him from ancient monuments, and
especially from marbles still extant at Rome. Several of the plates bear
the Lorraine cross, Robert Estienne's mark, on the title-page; also the
engraving on page 19 of 'De re navali' (repeated on page 168), and those
on pages 4, 44 and 64 of 'De re vestiaria'. All the other engravings,
although not signed, probably came from Tory's workshop. This book was
reprinted by Robert Estienne, in 1549, in the same form. Here is a
summarized list of the engravings contained in it: In the first part, 'De
re navali,' are some twenty representations of antique vessels, biremes,
triremes, etc., of which one is signed; in the second part, 'De re
vestiaria,' three are signed: (1) a woman; (2) a man; (3) a soldier; in
the third part, 'De vasculis,' are eight or ten representations of vases,
etc., not signed.
All these engravings were reproduced on copper in a reprint of Baïf's
work, published in Grævius's great collection called the 'Treasure of
Antiquities,'[371] and, strangely enough, the artist has left the Lorraine
cross on the first.[372] This mark appears again in column 1100 of the
same volume, in an analogous work by another author. The same engraving
was reëngraved on copper, with the cross, for the edition of Grævius's
'Thesaurus,' published at Venice in 1732, after the edition of Utrecht.
This later edition was like the earlier one, and the engraving in question
appears in the same volume and same column. So that we have an engraving
on copper, with the Lorraine cross, executed in the eighteenth century!
1536-1540
[Illustration]
I. HORÆ IN LAUDEM BEATISSIMÆ VIRGINIS MARIÆ, AD USUM
ROMANUM.--Parisiis, apud Simonem Colinæum, 1543.
Large quarto of 44 sheets, in 22 signatures of 2 sheets, _encartées_, A to
Y. On the verso of the title-page is a table of Easter-Days from 1543 to
1566; then comes the calendar, which fills the next six sheets. There are
in the text fourteen large engravings, with a special border:--
1. St. John writing his Gospel (which begins on the following leaf).
He is gazing at the Virgin, who appears to him in the sky, holding
the Child Jesus.
2. Jesus betrayed by Judas.
3. The Salutation, with this device in French: 'Fait ce que tu
vouras avoir fait quant tu moras.' ['Do what thou wouldst have done
when thou diest.']
4. The Visitation (signed).
5. The Birth of Jesus.
6. The Annunciation to the Shepherds (with the date 1537).
7. The Adoration of the Magi (signed).
8. The Circumcision (signed).
9. The Flight into Egypt.
10. The Death of Mary (signed).
11. Jesus on the Cross (signed).
12. The Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles (signed).
13. The Penance of David (signed).
14. Jesus restoring Lazarus to life.
[Illustration]
All the pages are enclosed in borders, but the latter are of two sorts:--
1. Eight complete borders, that is to say, thirty-two compartments, in
simple line-engraving as in the Hours of 1524-1525. A single one of these
eight is signed; but they are all by the same artist. They bear the dates
of 1536, 1537, 1539, in little scrolls of the sort to which Tory was so
much addicted. These dates preclude our attributing these engravings to
himself, but they evidently came from his establishment which was then
conducted by his widow. One of these borders appears in a book published
in 1542: 'Rodolphi Agricolæ ... de inventione dialectica, libri III,' etc.
4to, Paris, Simon de Colines.
2. There are also eight complete borders, or thirty-two compartments,
engraved in black in an entirely different style, alternating with those
engraved in line. [Four of them are reproduced in this volume, on the
pages bearing the Author's Preface.] They are in niello, are neither
signed nor dated, and I doubt whether they came from Tory's workshop,
although we shall see that he engraved some similar ones for Jean de
Tournes. In any event their inclusion in this book, side by side with the
borders and drawings engraved in line, seems to me in wretched taste which
would have disgusted our artist.
We find also in this book some beautiful ornamental letters in the criblé
style, which may be Tory's.
[Illustration]
The book was reprinted in 1549, in the same form, by Renaud and Claude
Chaudière, successors to Simon de Colines.
* * * * *
II. In the same year 1543, Simon de Colines published another
book of Hours, octavo, which seems to be a smaller edition of the one I
have just described. Like that one, it is composed of 22 signatures, A to
Y.
The title-page reads: HORÆ IN LAUDEM DEI AC BEATISSIMÆ VIRGINIS MARIÆ
AD USUM ROMANUM, UNA CUM CALENDARIO RECENS [_sic_] EMENDATO.
This within a portico-shaped border, at the top of which is the name
Simon de Colines. At the foot of the page: 'Parisiis, apud Simonem
Colinæum.--1543.'
As in the quarto Hours of the same date the borders of the text pages are
arabesques of two styles, some in line and the others in black; and the
drawings, to the number of 13, are set in a special border. Some of these
borders bear the date 1537, and one of them has the name Simon de Colines
in full, which proves that the engravings were executed for him. A list of
the drawings follows; only one of them is signed, but all seem to be the
work of Tory.
1. St. John writing his Gospel (signed).
2. Calvary.
3. The Salutation.
4. The Visitation.
5. The Nativity.
6. The Annunciation to the Shepherds.
7. The Adoration of the Magi.
8. The Presentation.
9. The Flight into Egypt.
10. The Coronation of the Virgin.
11. Pentecost.
12. Bathsheba at the Bath.
13. Job on the Dunghill.
The only copy of this book that I know of formerly belonged to the late
M. Renouvier, of Montpellier, who showed it to me in 1858. It lacks ten
leaves immediately following the title-page, which leaves undoubtedly
contained the calendar.
1537
I. LES ANGOISSES ET REMEDES DAMOUR DU TRAVERSEUR EN SON
ADOLESCENCE (Jean Bouchet).
Quarto, gothic type, printed at Poitiers, January 8, 1536 (1537, new
style), by Jean and Engilbert de Marnef. The privilege is dated November
15, 1536.
There are two woodcuts signed with the Lorraine cross: the printers' mark,
on the first page; and, at the end of the preliminary pages, an engraving
representing a man in a long robe engaged in writing; facing him and below
him are four persons, also in robes, from whom he is apparently deriving
his inspiration. Near these latter, at the left, is a woman holding a
light.[373]
* * * * *
II. LE JUGEMENT POETIC DE L'HONNEUR FEMININ ... PAR LE
TRAVERSEUR (Jean Bouchet).
At the end are these words: 'Imprimé à Poictiers le premier d'avril M.
D. XXXVIII, par Jean et Engilbert de Marnef, freres.' This volume,
which is arranged like that last described, contains eleven engravings,
five of which are signed with the double cross.
Folio A 5 verso. A large plate representing the author presenting his book
to François I. The King is seated on his throne and surrounded by his
court. (Signed at the left.)
Folio B 1 recto. A meeting of the Parliament of Paris. (Signed at the
right.)
Folio B 4 recto. Fame announcing the demise of Louise de Savoie, mother of
François I. (Signed at the left.)
Folio B 7 recto. Mercury on his way to the field of Truth; below, Charon
in his boat. (Not signed.)
Folio C 1 verso. The field of Truth. Four persons, of whom three are
seated in a sort of thicket; and above them, a château. (Signed in the
centre.)
Folio C 7 verso. The deceased (Louise de Savoie), her head encircled by a
wreath and holding in her right hand a bunch of flowers. (Signed at the
right.)
Folio D 3 recto. Fortune holding a wheel in one hand, and a standard in
the other. (Not signed.)
Folio D 6 verso. Repetition of C 7.
Folio E 5 verso. Mercury, with the caduceus in his hand, speaking to a man
in a robe, and pointing out a palace to him. (Not signed.)
Folio E 7 recto. A large hall adorned with statues. (Not signed.)
Folio L 8 verso. A winged personage, wrapped in a cloak, and having eyes
in his hands and feet. (Not signed.)
At the end of the volume the mark of the Marnefs. (Signed.)
1538
MISSAL OF PARIS, 1539; folio. The Lorraine cross on two large
folio plates, one of which, dated 1538, represents God the Father seated
on his throne, his head surrounded by a halo; he is dressed like the Pope;
over his head, a triangular pediment. The other, not dated, represents
Christ on the Cross; the Blessed Virgin and St. John are standing at his
sides, and this inscription is printed in a semicircle over the cross:
'Absit michi gloriari nisi in crvce D[omi]ni n[ost]ri Jesvs Christi.'
These two subjects, which are often found in collections, sometimes on
paper and sometimes on vellum, sometimes black and sometimes coloured
(the mark and the date very often disappear under the colours[374]),
were first printed, so far as my knowledge goes, in the Missal of Paris,
published in 1539 by Thielman Kerver's widow. There follows a description
of this priceless volume, of which I know but one copy in Paris.[375] It
is entitled: 'Missale ad usum Ecclesiæ Parisiensis, noviter impressum,
et emendatum per deputatos a reverendissimo domino Johanne de Bellayo,
Parisiensi episcopo,' etc. Then comes Thielman Kerver's usual mark, and
below: 'Prostat Parisiis in vico divi Jacobi, apud Iolandam Bonhomme,
vidue spectati viri Thielmanni Kerver, ad signum Unicornis, ubi et excusum
fuit, anno Domini M. D. XXXIX.'
This work makes a large folio volume, printed in red and black, in gothic
type, with a large number of unsigned engravings in the text. These
engravings are of three sorts,--(1) floriated letters on a black ground;
(2) small drawings of the same size, but of a very graceful renaissance
type; (3) drawings of octavo size, which were commonly used by Thielman
Kerver's widow in the books of Hours published by her, and of which I have
already had occasion to speak.[376]
The two large drawings signed with the Lorraine cross face each other
in signature V, in the second part of the book, where the pagination is
discontinued. They have been reprinted several times in other editions
of the same book. I will mention particularly the edition, undated,
published in the name of Guillaume Merlin, bookseller, a copy of which
is in the Bibliothèque Mazarine[377]; that of 1543, at the Bibliothèque
Sainte-Geneviève; that of 1559 (all published by Iolande Bonhomme or her
son Jacques Kerver); and lastly a Missal of Cluny, of which I shall speak
later.
Although these books are printed on paper, the plates in question are
always printed on vellum in editions of the sixteenth century; but this
precaution was neglected in later centuries.
1538-1540
Latin Bible in two folio volumes, bearing the dates 1538, 1539, 1540.
Paris, Robert Estienne. The word 'Biblia' appears on the title-page in
a scroll signed with the Lorraine cross, of which I have already had
occasion to speak, under the date of 1532, and which appears in others of
Robert Estienne's books.[378] The second title follows: 'Hebræa, chaldæa,
græca et latina nomina ... restituta cum latina interpretatione.' This
has led some bibliographers to assume, erroneously, that the book was a
polyglot affair. It is printed throughout in Latin; there are simply a few
Hebrew words in the dissertation to which the second title in question
applies, and which is printed in the second volume, with a title-page
of its own, dated 1538. The New Testament, also in the second volume,
is dated 1539, not 1540, as M. Renouard mistakenly says.[379] The Bible
alone, that is to say, the first volume and the beginning of the second,
bears the date 1540. In each part we find Robert Estienne's large mark,
signed with the Lorraine cross. The first volume contains also eighteen
magnificent engravings representing the Tabernacle of Moses, Solomon's
Temple, etc., executed under the direction of François Vatable, Royal
Professor of Hebrew Literature. The Lorraine cross appears on the large
plate of the camp of the Israelites, on folio 35; but I dare not upon
this evidence alone attribute all the other engravings to Tory.[380] In
any event the floriated letters used in the book are certainly Tory's,
for we find the designs mentioned by him in his 'Champ fleury.' It is a
fact worth noting that these letters seem to have been cast, or, at least,
reproduced by stereotyping, for they are often repeated on the same page,
without the slightest change in the design.
The Bibliothèque Nationale has a superb copy of this book on vellum, with
the arms of François I. It was reprinted in the same shape by Robert
Estienne in 1546, and by his son Henri in 1565. In this last edition,
printed at Geneva, we no longer find the two small drawings which appear,
with the frieze, on the title-page of the edition of 1532. (See p. 204,
supra.) The frieze in this later form appears in other books of the
Estiennes. I have seen it in a folio Xenophon printed for Fugger.
1540-1548
AMADIS DE GAULE, French translation by Nic. de Herberay, Seigneur
des Essarts, for the first eight books; first edition printed between 1540
and 1548, by Denis Janot, for the booksellers, Vincent Sertenas, Estienne
Groullau, and Jean Longis. Folio, with engravings.
I have seen only two of these engravings signed with the Lorraine cross,
but several others seem to have come from the same workshop. The great
majority of them, however, are of another _make_. The two that are signed
are: (1) Book II, chap. 2, a large plate representing a sort of
temple. A man armed cap-à-pie under a portico. At the right are shields
hanging upon posts; at the left, a man kneeling on the ground, holding a
naked sword in the air with his right hand, and another hand grasping it.
This represents a scene from the 'Île Ferme.' (2) Book VI, chap.
56, a small plate representing four persons on horseback near a château
in front of which stands an armed man. This cut does not seem to have any
connection with the subject, and may well have been taken from another
older work.
There is a copy of this book on vellum in the Bibliothèque Nationale.
1541
I. PRAXIS CRIMINIS PERSEQUENDI, ELEGANTIBUS ALIQUOT
FIGURIS ILLUSTRATA, JOANNE MILLÆO ... AUCTORE.
Folio; Paris, Simon de Colines, 1541. Some copies have on the title-page
only the names of the brothers Arnould and Charles les Angeliers.
(Bibliothèque Nationale.)
There are in this book thirteen large folio cuts, besides the
frontispiece. A single one, the seventh, is signed, but all are by the
same hand. Following is a description of them, or, rather, a brief list;
for a description would lead us into too minute details:[381]--
1. Several men slain in divers ways, on a public square where there is a
large crucifix.
2. Examination of the bodies of the wounded lying in a room.
3. Examination of the witnesses.
4. The accused summoned by public outcry.
5. Arrest of the accused.
6. Examination of the accused.
7. Confrontation of the witnesses with the accused (signed).
8. Ratification of decree of pardon.
9. Torture by water.
10. Torture by the boots.
11. Torture by compressing the wrists.
12. Condemnation of the guilty.
13. Execution of the guilty.
There is at the Bibliothèque Nationale a magnificent copy of this book
on vellum, with the arms of France in miniature on the verso of the
title-page.
* * * * *
II. The first volume of the CATHOLIQUES ŒUVRES ET ACTES
DES APOSTRES, by Simon de Greban; followed by the MYSTERE DE
L'APOCALYPSE, by Louis Choquet. Printed for Arnould and Charles les
Angeliers, May 27, 1541. 'On les vend en la grand salle du Palais, par
Arnould et Charles les Angeliers freres.' Folio; Paris, 1541.
This work is embellished with engravings, of which only one is signed
with the Lorraine cross. This one, which is on folio I recto of
the Acts of the Apostles, represents the descent of the Holy Ghost upon
the Apostles. It is enclosed in a border, of octavo size, and belongs to
a series of engravings for a book of Hours published by Guillaume Merlin
in 1548.[382] The engraver's mark is in a small circle at the left of the
foot of the border. Beside it is an angel holding two shields in which are
the letters G. M. (Guillaume Merlin). The frontispiece of the Acts of the
Apostles has a border in which is the date 1537. The same border surrounds
the frontispiece of the Mystery of the Apocalypse, but there it is without
the date. This last-named portion of the volume contains 13 engravings
and a border, in Tory's style, but without the Lorraine cross. One of them
bears the letters P. R. There is a copy at the Bibliothèque Nationale.
* * * * *
III. HOURS OF THE VIRGIN, octavo, in roman type,
but with the borders 'à la moderne' described on page 128, supra.
This book, printed by Olivier Mallard in 1541, was copied doubtless from
the edition made by Tory about 1531, which I have been unable to examine.
Mallard's edition, of which I have seen a copy on vellum, belonging to
M. Émilien Cabuchet, the painter, and another on paper, consists of
twenty-three octavo signatures, A to Y. The title-page reads; HORÆ
IN LAUDEM BEATISSIM. VIRGINIS MARIÆ, AD USUM ROMANUM. (Here the Pot
Cassé.) Parisiis, apud Oliverium Mallardum, sub signo Vasis Effracti,
1541. The last page, on which is printed a curious 'prescription against
the plague,' ends thus: 'Excudebat Parisiis Oliverius Mallard, bibliopola
regius, sub signo Vasis Effracti.'...
In this edition there are 16 different borders; each leaf has the same
border on both recto and verso. There are also 16 of the engravings of the
sixteenmo Hours of 1529, those not reproduced being nos. 1, 19 and 21 of
that edition.
The word 'Rom.' printed on the first page of each signature leads me to
believe that Mallard published at the same time, in the same format, an
edition of Hours 'ad usum Parisianum,' but I have found no trace of such
an edition.
After Olivier Mallard's death, which occurred, as I have said heretofore,
in 1542, his typographical outfit seems to have been acquired by Thielman
Kerver II (son of the first Thielman and Iolande Bonhomme, who lived, as
did his father before him, on Rue Saint-Jacques); for he published in 1550
a book of Hours similar to that printed in 1541 by Mallard. It contains
the same borders and the same drawings, but in a different arrangement.
The borders have been lengthened by means of a most ungraceful addition
to the side-pieces; as for the drawings in two parts, no pains has been
taken to place the parts facing each other, so that their meaning would
be uncertain if we had no other editions of the engravings. In fine, this
book is very imperfect. It consists of twenty-two and a half signatures, A
to Y. The title-page reads thus:--
HORÆ IN LAUDEM BEATISSIMÆ VIRGINIS MARIÆ AD USUM ROMANUM. (Here
the mark of Thielman Kerver, with the Lorraine cross.) 'Parisiis, apud
Thielmannum Kerver, vico sancti Jacobi, sub signo Cratis. M.D.L.' The
book closes with the curious 'prescription' found in Olivier Mallard's
edition of 1541, which is in these words: 'Approbatissima medicina contra
pestem.--Recipe quantum potes de amaritudine mentis contra peccata
commissa, cum vera cordis contritione, potius libram quam unciam. Hæc
misceantur cum aqua lacrymarum, et facies vomitum per puram confessionem.
Deinde sumas illud sacratiss. electuarium corporis Christi, et tutus eris
a peste.'
The book is printed in red and black. I have seen a copy on paper at
M. Potier's bookshop. There is an imperfect copy at the Bibliothèque
Mazarine, and a perfect one at Sainte-Geneviève.
About the same time there was published a small duodecimo volume of four
signatures, in French, with the same borders. It begins thus: 'Here
follows the method of receiving the blessed sacrament devoutly.' It is
like the book last-described except that it is printed in only one colour,
and that it is a little longer and wider.[383] To lengthen the borders,
sections have been added to them. It is most peculiar that a duodecimo
volume should be larger than an octavo, but the fact is unquestionable:
formats were already beginning to increase in size. Near the end of the
book is a little treatise with this heading: 'Here follows a devout
meditation as to the manner in which thou shouldst ordain and arrange the
whole day,' etc. And after that: 'The life of Madame Sainte-Marguerite,
with prayer to be said for women pregnant and in travail.'
This book is in the Bibliothèque Mazarine, in the same collection as the
last. It contains four small engravings, of which only one seems to me to
belong to Tory: it is the Christ on the Cross, which appears in the quarto
Hours of 1542, now to be described.
1542
I. Hours, according to the Roman use, quarto, in Latin, published
by Olivier Mallard in 1542. This rare volume, of which I know only one
copy, belonging to M. Aerts, of Metz,[384] who himself kindly brought it
to me at Paris, is a reproduction of the Hours printed by Tory in 1531;
the type, however, is smaller. It consists of nineteen signatures of
two quarto sheets _encartées_, signatures A to T. The title-page reads:
HORAE IN LAUDEM BEATISS. VIRGINIS MARIÆ AD USUM ROMANUM. OFFICIUM
TRIPLEX.--Parrhisiis, apud Oliverium Mallard, impressorem Regium.
The rest is as in the edition of 1531. On the last page: 'Parrhisiis, ex
officina Oliverii Mallard, Regii impressoris, Ad insigna Vasis Effracti.
Anno salu. M. D. XLII. Mense Augusti.' Then come the two lines:--
'Effracti, lector, subeas insignia vasis,
Egregios flores ut tibi habere queis.'
The table of Easter-Days, on the verso of the title-page, goes from 1542
to 1571; then comes the calendar, in which the order of the edition of
1531 has been followed in the arrangement of the borders, although the
type, being smaller, would have permitted the more regular arrangement of
the edition of 1524-25.
The book is printed in two colours, except signatures B, C, and D, which
are in black only--a most unusual state of things. The engravings are
the same as those of the edition of 1531, but the floriated letters are
different. The Passion, which begins on folio B 3 verso, is enriched by
the small Christ on the Cross which we find in the Hours of 1529, but
without the four additional subjects (bees, etc.), which there accompany
it.[385] It is probable that some accident happened to the plate, and that
only the Christ was saved. We find also in this volume, at the foot of the
border, the crowned C of Queen Claude of France, who had then been dead
about fifteen years.
The Lorraine cross, which had disappeared from several of the larger
engravings as early as the edition of 1531, appears on almost none of them
in that of 1542. For example, it has been expunged from the Birth of Jesus
and the Circumcision. The only ones which retain it are the Visitation,
the Crucifixion, and the Descent of the Holy Ghost. It remains on the
borders also.
Signature E begins with a leaf the recto of which is blank, while on the
verso is the angel of the Annunciation, as in the edition of 1531. The
large plate, the Triumph of the Virgin Mary, is also included in this
edition.
* * * * *
II. HORE BEATE MARIE VIRGINIS AD USUM FRATRUM
PREDICATORUM ORDINIS SANCTI DOMINICI: FIGURIS UTRIUSQUE TESTAMENTI
AC PERVENUSTIS IMAGINIBUS ET IIS QUIDEM NON PAUCIS, PASSIM DECORATE,
ATQUE OFFICIO CONCEPTIONS IMMACULE VIRGINIS ET OFFICIO SANCTI
DOMINICI IN ALIIS ORARIIS ACTENUS IMPRESSUS NEQUAQUE INSERTIS
AD AUCTE. (Here the figure of St. Dominic holding an open
book in his left hand, and in the right a staff with the cross
at the end. At his feet lies a dog. The Lorraine cross is at the
left.) Venundantur Parisiis, in edibus vidue spectabilis viri
Thielmanni Kerver, in vico divi Jacobi, sub signo Unicornis, ubi et
impresse.--M.D. XLII.'
Octavo; signatures A to X, and _a_ to _c_: in all, 26 forms. The
title-page engraving reappears on leaf R 4 verso. The others are not
signed.
* * * * *
III. HEURES À L'USAGE DE TOUL: AU LONG SANS
REQUERIR.
Octavo of 156 unpaged leaves. Calendar from 1541 to 1564. At the bottom of
the last page are the words: 'Imprimé à Troyes chez Jean Lecoq.' Gothic
type, printed in red and black.
The only copy of this book that I have seen is in the Bibliothèque
Publique of Besançon. It has 30 engravings, including the printer's
mark, which is on the title-page. The mark and three other engravings of
the first series are signed with the Lorraine cross. A list of all the
engravings follows:--
First series, .06 mm. by .043 mm.
1. Printer's mark (signed).
2. Jesus in the Garden of Olives (signed).
3. Annunciation of the Virgin.
4. The Visitation.
5. The Nativity.
6. Adoration of the Shepherds.
7. Adoration of the Magi.
8. The Presentation in the Temple.
9. Massacre of the Innocents.
10. Death of the Virgin (signed).
11. The Crucifix.
12. Pentecost.
13. Bathsheba at the Bath (signed).
14. Resurrection of Lazarus.
15. Vision of St. Gregory.
Second series, .034 mm. by .022 mm.
1. The Trinity.
2. Death piercing with a Spear the Great Men of Earth.
3. St. Anne.
4. All Saints.
5. Ecce Homo.
6. The Virgin.
7. The Beheading of St. John Baptist.
8. St. Sebastian.
9. St. Nicholas.
10. St. Martin.
11. St. Catherine.
12. St. Barbara.
13. Our Lady of Pity.
14. Virgo Gloriosa.
15. Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows.
IV. DYALOGUE INSTRUCTOIRE DES CHRESTIENS EN LA FOY,
ESPERANCE ET AMOUR DE DIEU COMPOSÉ PAR FRERE PIERRE DORÉ, DOCTEUR EN
THEOLOGIE.... Imprimé nouvellement par Denys Janot, demourant
en la rue Neufve Nostre Dame, à l'enseigne Sainct Jehan Baptiste,
pres Saincte Geneviefve des Ardens.
Sixteenmo, 1542. On the verso of the title-page is an engraving signed
with the Lorraine cross. It represents the Virgin standing on a
crescent, holding the child Jesus in her arms, and surrounded by a halo.
(Bibliothèque Nationale.)
1543-1544
SOMMAIRE DE CHRONIQUES, CONTENANS LES VIES, GESTES ET CAS
FORTUITZ DE TOUS LES EMPEREURS D'EUROPE, etc. By J. B.
Egnatius, translated by G. Tory.[386]
There were several other editions of these chronicles. M. Hippolyte
Boyer mentions one of 1541, in his 'Histoire des Imprimeurs et Libraires
de Bourges' (8vo, Bourges, 1854), p. 27; Antoine du Verdier, another,
of 1543, in his Bibliothèque françoise. This much is certain--that M.
Renouvier owned a copy, with illustrations, dated 1544. It is an octavo,
'for sale by Charles l'Angelier, in the "grand'salle du Palais."' It
contains 112 leaves (signatures A to O), plus 4 unnumbered leaves. The
engravings are of two sorts: the first represents an emperor on horseback,
carrying a battle-axe; there is no mark, but it is engraved with much
delicacy and distinguished by the little cartouches of which Tory was so
fond; this figure is reproduced several times. The others are busts of
emperors, roughly engraved, which cannot be Tory's. It may be noted that
the edition published by Tory in 1530 contains no engravings.
1545
DE DISSECTIONE PARTIUM CORPORIS HUMANI, etc. By Charles
Estienne. Folio, Simon de Colines, 1545.
There are in this book about sixty large anatomical plates. Five are
signed with the Lorraine cross--folios 149, 150, 151, 154, 155. The last
four bear also the name of Jollat, with the dates 1530, 1531, 1532. Here
is what M. Renouvier has to say on the subject: 'Simon de Colines ...
employed another wood-engraver of some note, Mercure Jollat, to whom
Papillon attributed almost all of our gothic books of Hours. He should
be reckoned only among the engravers of an altogether modernized manner.
His name is written Iollat, the first letter in the zodiacal sign of
Mercury, followed by the dates 1530, 1531, and 1532, and accompanied by
the Lorraine cross, on four plates of Charles Estienne's book on the
dissection of the human body, representing the cadaver in its skin and
the cadaver with the skin removed. The drawing of the figures has been
attributed, even by Brulliot, to Woeiriot; but it is really the work of
the surgeon Estienne Rivière, who is named on the title-page and in the
preface as the painter of the bones, ligaments, and all the anatomical
details. His initials, S. R., appear on a tablet hanging from the branches
of a tree in the first plate. The engraving, which varies considerably,
would seem to be the work of different hands, or, at least, to have come
from an establishment which practised diverse styles and which sometimes
put forth work done by apprentices. The workmanship of the plates with
Jollat's mark seemed to me more monotonous--not unskilful although less
picturesque. I am not now passing upon their scientific merit, but upon
their picturesque interest simply.'[387]
The inscription of Jollat's name on plates marked with the Lorraine cross
seems, at first glance, quite hard to explain, especially with the general
opinion concerning the former of these artists, based on Papillon's
statements. But as the story of Jollat's work as an engraver still remains
to be told, I think I may safely say that he simply designed the plates
that bear his name in Charles Estienne's book, and that they were engraved
by Tory, or, at least, in his workshop. We have seen, in fact, that Tory
was Simon de Colines' favourite engraver. To be sure, M. Renouvier seems
to be of opinion that all the plates were designed by Estienne Rivière,
whence he concludes that the engraving is by Jollat; but this is a
mistaken opinion, based on a sentence in the preface. Rivière, who was a
friend of Charles Estienne, may have designed the majority of the plates
in Charles Estienne's book, and yet not have designed all of them. Those
signed Jollat evidently belong to that artist, who seems to have designed
a number of them before the work was placed in Rivière's hands.
I am confirmed in my belief that Jollat was the designer of the plates in
question by the fact that his name is always accompanied by the dates, and
that those dates are not those of the engraving, which I propose to prove.
There are only five plates signed with Jollat's name and with the Lorraine
cross in the Latin edition of Charles Estienne's book, published by Simon
de Colines in 1545. In the following year the same printer issued a French
edition of this work, under the title, 'La Dissection des parties du corps
humain' (folio, 1546), in which we find two additional plates so marked
and dated 1532. Why did not these plates appear in the first edition, if
they were engraved by Jollat?
But here is another fact even more conclusive. In 1575 the bookseller
Jacques Kerver published a volume of engravings without text, entitled
'Les Figures et portraicts des parties du corps humain' (folio), in which
we find not only the seven engravings with the cross, of the edition of
1546, but three others, also bearing Jollat's mark and the Lorraine cross,
and dated 1533. Evidently these plates appeared in some earlier edition,
unknown to me,[388] for it was not Kerver who had them engraved; he simply
made use of the woodcuts of which he had become the owner. But why did
they not appear in the edition of 1546? That is a matter easily explained.
Charles Estienne informs us in the preface to his book that the printing
was well advanced in 1539, but that it was interrupted by a lawsuit. We
give his own words in the French edition of 1546: 'All of which things
were well-nigh finished in the year 1539, and almost so far as the middle
of the third book printed, when, by reason of a suit that was begun, we
were forced (to your great discontent, methinks) to lay aside this work
and to desist from the completion thereof; for so long that in the mean
time it has been possible for many others to invent new ideas touching
this matter, and to make use at their will of many sheets filled with our
writings; for it was not possible for the printer so closely to safeguard
his book, so long suppressed, that some persons curious to learn of novel
things might not take away some sheets, still uncorrected, and send them
into Germany.'
Now let us see what was the cause of this suit. Charles Estienne does not
inform us, but it has been disclosed by M. Ambroise Didot, in his 'Essai
sur la Gravure.' The famous Vésale had published at Venice, in 1538,
through the printer B. Vitalis, a treatise on anatomy, embellished with
numerous plates, which was copied in several places, and notably in Paris,
despite the privilege granted by the Republic. Later, wishing to issue a
new and improved edition of his book, Vésale applied to Oporin, professor
of Greek, and printer at Basle, to whom he sent his plates, which had been
engraved at Venice by Calcar, a pupil of Titian. In 1543 Oporin finished
printing this new edition, for which the author had, no doubt, obtained
privileges from various sovereigns, especially from the King of France.
This seems to be proved by the suit instituted against Charles Estienne.
That is why the latter could not publish, in his edition of 1545, all the
plates which he had had made, and which appeared only at intervals as the
date of Vésale's privilege was left behind. As we have seen, he gives it
to be understood in his preface that it was he who was robbed in Germany.
As this is a favourable opportunity, I will say a few words concerning
Jacques Kerver's publication, of which I have never seen any mention,[389]
but which is of great interest to us. It is a folio volume, containing
61 large plates besides a considerable number of small ones. There is
no other text than the explanations printed on the plates,[390] and a
brief note to the reader, which begins thus: 'Friend reader, seeing that
medicine is not at all essential to preserve the health and to banish all
diseases, which often, on slight occasion, assail us, and that anatomy, or
the description of the parts of the human body, mainly serves us therein,
I have determined not to fail to exhibit them to you here.' We give a
description of those plates in the book which are of interest to us.
_Plates which appear only in Kerver's volume._
1. The human body in its relation to the signs of the zodiac (folio A 2
verso). This bears Jollat's name, the date 1533, and the Lorraine cross.
2 and 3. The human body in its relation to the seven planets (folio A 3
recto and verso). These two bear the same marks as the preceding.
_Plates which appear in the edition of 1546._
4. Skeleton seen from the left side (folio 11 of the edition of 1546, and
A 3 verso of that of 1575). Jollat's name, the Lorraine cross, no date.
5. Skeleton seen from the right side (folio 11, 1546, folio A 5 verso,
1575). Jollat's name, the date 1532, and the Lorraine cross.
_Plates which appear in all three editions._
6. Man flayed, front view (folio 149, 1545; folio 151, 1546; folio B 2
recto, 1575). The cross alone.
7. Man flayed, right side (folio 150, 1545; folio 152, 1546; folio B 2
verso, 1575). Jollat's name, the date 1532, and the Lorraine cross.
8. Man flayed, rear view (folio 151, 1545; folio 153, 1546; folio B 3
recto, 1575). The same marks as in the last case.
9. Man in his skin, front view (folio 154, 1545; folio 160, 1546; folio B
3 verso, 1575). The same marks as in the last case.
10. Man in his skin, rear view (folio 155, 1545; folio 161, 1546; folio B
5 recto, 1575). The same marks, with the date 1531.
Many others of the plates may belong to Tory, but as they are not marked,
I shall not speak of them here.
* * * * *
Something analogous to what I have just described took place with
reference to the engravings of Tory's Hours. Having become the property
of the Kervers, as we have seen,[391] they were used by them for a long
while. We shall mention later the octavo Hours published by Thielman II
in 1550, 1552, and 1556, in which he utilized the woodcuts of the edition
published by Olivier Mallard in 1541. His son Jacques did better than
that: in 1574 he published a large octavo edition of the Hours of the
Virgin, in which he used the woodcuts of the quarto editions issued by
Tory himself in 1524 and 1527. As the crosses were removed in almost every
instance, one might have some right to deny their source, were not the
books published by Tory a half century before, at our hand to demonstrate
it. Jacques Kerver's book being rare, and of a date subsequent to the
period covered by my work, it seems to me that it may be well to give a
bibliographical description of it, from the copy owned by M. Chedeau,
which M. Potier, bookseller, has kindly furnished me.
'Officium beatæ Mariæ Virginis nuper reformatum et Pii V, pont.
max., jussu editum.--Apud Jacobum Kerver, via Jacobea, sub insigni
Unicornis.--1574.' Large octavo, with illustrations from the quarto
edition published by Tory in 1524-1525, surrounded by borders taken from
Tory's quarto edition of 1527, but reduced in size, mutilated, transposed,
etc.
Here is a list of the plates:--
1. The Annunciation (two plates).
2. The Salutation.
3. The Nativity.
4. The Adoration of the Shepherds.
5. The Adoration of the Magi.
6. The Circumcision.
7. The Flight into Egypt.
8. The Coronation of the Virgin.
These eight plates are repeated three times. Then come:--
9. The Triumph of Death.
10. David's Penance.
11. Jesus on the Cross.
12. Pentecost.
Number 8 is taken from the quarto Hours of 1527; but all the others are in
the Hours of 1524-1525. Numbers 2 and 12 still bear the Lorraine cross.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Kervers printed also the quarto
Hours (1531) which I mentioned on page 201, and in which we find the
borders of the Hours of 1524-1525, and the porticoes of the opuscula of
1530-1531. The plates are not signed and cannot be Tory's, but as a list
of them may assist in the discovery of this edition, I will mention here
those which are at the Bibliothèque Nationale:--
1. The Annunciation.
2. The Conception.
3. The Visitation.
4. The Nativity.
5. The Circumcision.
6. The Resurrection.
7. The Descent of the Holy Ghost.
8. All Saints.
9. The Trinity.
1547
We place under this date three books of Hours which introduce us to
certain engravings signed with the Lorraine cross accompanied by initials.
1547 is not the exact date of the engravings to which we refer, for we
shall see that they are of earlier execution; but their first appearance
is so uncertain that we are forced to fall back upon the definite date
supplied by the books in question.
* * * * *
I. HOURS ACCORDING TO THE USE OF TOUL.
Octavo. On the first page: 'The present hours according to the use of Tou
[_sic_], in full, _sans requerir_, newly printed at Paris.' (Here the mark
of François Regnault.) 'For sale in Paris, Rue Saint Jacques, at the sign
of the Elephant, opposite the Mathurins, by Françoys Regnault's widow.'
On the verso is a table of Easter-Days for thirteen years, beginning in
1547. Next comes a calendar, with engravings and verses (some in Latin,
some in French), the 'Jours moralisez,' divers moral and religious axioms,
in verse and in prose, and, lastly, the four Gospels of the Passion, in
Latin. All these form the first part, with a special series of signatures,
_aa_ to _ee_. It is more than likely that this first part, which has no
application to any particular diocese, is printed, in the same form,
in the Hours which Veuve Regnault probably printed for other churches
about the same time. In signatures _cc_ and _ee_ there is an engraving
representing Jesus on the Cross, signed with the letters I, L, B and the
Lorraine cross, which appears in several other publications of the same
period.
The second part of the book comprises the Hours properly so-called,
according to the ritual of the church of Toul. This part is made up of
eight signatures, _a_ to _h_, the word _Tou_ being printed on the first
page of each sheet.
The volume contains a hundred leaves in all. In addition to the
bookseller's mark and the engraving signed with the Lorraine cross, there
are 55 large woodcuts, most of which are signed with the initials I, M
(without the cross), a few small engravings, and a large number of letters
in grisaille, but no borders.
With a copy of these Hours, which I have seen, was bound the following
work:--
'The fifteen effusions of the blood of our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus
Christ, by Barbe Regnault, Rue Saint Jacques, at the sign of the Elephant,
opposite the Mathurins.' Eight leaves in two octavo folds, enriched with
fifteen pretty woodcuts, interspersed through the text, and marked, like
the one mentioned above, which is one of them, with the letters I, L, B
and the Lorraine cross.
This little volume is undated, but it is known that Barbe Regnault
succeeded her mother, Madeleine Boursette, widow of François Regnault,
who was carrying on the business as late as 1555. So that the engravings
with the initials I, L, B might be of later date than that; but we have
seen that one of them had already appeared in the first part of the book;
therefore they are of earlier date than 1547.
Here is a list of these engravings, which are the same ones mentioned by
M. Robert-Dumesnil under date of 1599:--
1. The Circumcision.
2. Jesus in the Garden of Olives.
3. The Apprehension of Jesus.
4. Jesus Beaten with Rods.
5. Jesus before Pontius Pilate.
6. Jesus King of the Jews.
7. Jesus Bearing his Cross.
8. Jesus Stripped of his Clothing.
9. Jesus on the Cross.
10. Same subject (without initials).
11. Same subject (again without initials).
12. Same subject (with initials and without the cross).
13. Erection of the Cross.
14. Jesus between the two Thieves.
15. Same subject (without cross or initials).
All of these are 4½ centimetres high and 5 wide.
The 'Fifteen Effusions' was reprinted frequently during the sixteenth
century, in different formats and in different type, but with the same
engravings, and almost always without date, because it was added to
other books. I have, however, seen one copy in large type, dated 1584
(Bibliothèque Nationale). These same engravings appear, with many others,
in a work entitled 'Abrégé des Méditations de la vie de Jésus-Christ';
octavo, Paris, Guillaume Chaudière, 1599.
* * * * *
II. HORE BEATE MARIE VIRGINIS AD USUM PARISIENSEM,
TOTALITER AD LONGUM, CUM MULTIS ORATIONIBUS ET HISTORIIS, NOVITER
IMPRESSE ET EMENDATE. (Here the Triumph of the Virgin, an old
engraving with criblé background, with legends in gothic type, which
figures in all the Hours of this period.) 'On les vend a Paris, en
la rue Sainct Jacques, par la veufve Jehan de Brie, a l'enseigne de
la Lymace, pres Sainct Yves.'
On the verso of the title, 'a calendar for XI years,' beginning
with 1548. Each month has its engraving, and the usual illustration is
placed within a circle; they are not signed.
Printed in red and black, in large gothic type, the work consists of 8
preliminary leaves and 16 folios of text, signatures A to Q, with the
letters _Pa_ (Paris). The folios do not begin until signature B, and
run without a break to the end of signature Q. On the last page of this
signature are these words: 'These present hours according to the use of
Paris, with several noble eulogies of Our Lady, have been printed by
Veufve Jehan de Brye [_sic_], living on rue sainct Jacques, at the sign
of the Snail, near Sainct Yves.--M. D. XLVIII.'
Then follow 12 leaves of appendix, ending with a figure of the Virgin,
over which are the words 'Nostre Dame de Lorette,' in roman capitals. At
the foot of the page: 'Ave Sanctissima Maria,' etc. (5 lines in gothic
type).
This curious volume is preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Besides the 12 small engravings of the calendar, there are several other
small subjects, also unsigned, and 13 large ones with the letters L, R,
and the double cross. These latter, which measure 10 centimetres in height
and 7 in width, are as follows:--
1. St. John writing his Gospel.
2. The Annunciation.
3. The Visitation.
4. The Crucifixion.
5. The Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles (with the initials, but
without the cross).
6. The Birth of Jesus.
7. The Annunciation to the Shepherds.
8. The Adoration of the Magi.
9. The Circumcision.
10. The Coronation of the Virgin.
11. The Penance of David. He is saying to the Father Eternal these words,
which are written in a scroll: 'I who have sinned.'[392]
12. The Last Judgement.[393]
13. Notre-Dame de Lorette.
As I have said heretofore (supra, p. 149), the first twelve of these are
improved copies of other, unsigned engravings, belonging to Thielman
Kerver I, which appear in many books published by him or by his widow,
Iolande Bonhomme, at least as early as 1522,[394] and which we find again
in the Paris missal published by their son Jacques in 1559.
M. Brunet[395] suggests a very plausible theory, to the effect that the
engravings signed L. R. were executed by Louis Royer, who was in fact
the first to use them, in a book of Hours entitled: 'Horæ beatæ Mariæ ad
usum Rom.'; duodecimo, gothic type, with the mark of Jean de Brie, and
the following words at the foot: 'Parisiis, impressum in vico Jacobi per
Claudium Chevallon, impensis Ludovici Royer, librarii Parisiensis, in
eodem vico commorante, ad insigne vulgariter dictum la Lymace.'
The book is not dated; but we see, on the one hand, that it was printed
by Claude Chevallon, who died in 1542, and, on the other hand, that Louis
Royer, at whose expense it was printed, had succeeded Jean de Brie at the
sign of the Snail. Now, the latter died about 1522; so that it was between
1522 and 1542 that this book saw the light, and that the engravings with
the letters L. R. first appeared.
We know nothing of this Louis Royer, whom Lottin does not mention. Nor
do we know any more of Jean de Brie's widow, who seems to have succeeded
Louis Royer. And, as if everything in this matter were fated to remain
obscure, we find other octavo Hours according to the use of Rome, in
French gothic type, undated, but with a calendar from 1568 to 1578,
printed with the same woodcuts, and for sale 'at Paris, on Rue Saint
Jacques, at the sign of the Snail'; with no other details. In the book we
have described we find also:--
1. The Virgin and the Child Jesus (signed with the letters L. R. and the
cross).
2. Jesus betrayed by Judas (same marks).
3. Jesus bearing his Cross (same marks).
4. Jesus on the Cross (same marks).
5. Jesus in the Tomb (same marks).
6. The Resurrection (same marks).
7. The Flight into Egypt (same marks).
8. Job (unsigned).
9. Jesus at Emmaüs (unsigned).
* * * * *
III. HEURES EN FRANÇOYS A L'USAIGE DE ROME,
NOUVELLEMENT IMPRIMÉES À PARIS POUR GUILLAUME MERLIN. M. D.
XLVIII.
Octavo, gothic type; printed in red and black. This book, which I saw at
the sale of M. Chedeau's library, is illustrated with engravings, most
of them signed with the Lorraine cross, to which the initials G. M. are
sometimes added. They are 8 centimetres high by 55 millimetres wide. The
list follows:--
1. Saint John writing his Gospel (unsigned).
2. The Annunciation (unsigned).
3. The Visitation (signed with the Lorraine cross and the initials G. M.).
4. The Nativity (signed with the Lorraine cross only).
5. The Annunciation to the Shepherds (the cross only).
6. The Adoration of the Magi (the cross only).
7. The Circumcision (the cross only).
8. The Flight into Egypt (unsigned).
9. The Coronation of the Virgin (the cross only).
10. The Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles (signed with the
letters G. M. and the Lorraine cross in a small circle).
11. Jesus on the Cross (the cross only).
12. Bathsheba (the cross only).
13. Job (the cross only).
We think that we can safely attribute the designing of these engravings to
Guillaume Merlin, the publisher of this book of Hours. They must, at all
events, be much earlier than 1548, for we have already seen one of them
(no. 10) in a book of 1541 (supra, p. 217).
Guillaume Merlin also published about 1559 a book of Hours embellished
with engravings signed with the Lorraine cross. It is entitled: 'Heures à
l'usage de Romme' [_sic_], and is undated, but has a calendar from 1559
to 1570. It is a small octavo, printed in gothic characters, in red and
black. At the end are the words: 'Printed by Jean Bridier.'
We find in this volume, which was in M. Chedeau's library, 12 engravings
representing the twelve months of the year. Three of them are signed with
the Lorraine cross, namely, January, May and December. The others have no
mark. They are 10 centimetres high by 7 wide. On folio 62 verso is the
Virgin holding the Child Jesus. She is within an aureole of flames, with
her feet on a crescent.
1548
THEODORI BEZÆ VEZELII POEMATA. Paris, Conrad Bade, 1548.
Octavo of 100 pages printed in italic type. This is the first edition of
this book and contains a portrait of Théodore de Bèze signed with the
Lorraine cross. It is the oldest portrait that we know. Below it are the
following verses, alluding to a laurel wreath which Théodore has in his
hand:--
Vos docti docta præcingite tempora lauro:
Mi satis est illam uel tetigisse manu.
[Illustration]
The inscription 'An. 29,' at the top of the portrait, indicates that it
was engraved in the same year that the book was printed; for Théodore de
Bèze, born at Vezelay June 24, 1519, completed his twenty-ninth year in
1548, the date of the dedicatory epistle of this book, which the author
addressed to his teacher, Melchior Volmar. 'Vale. Lutetiæ, VII.
cal. Iul. qui dies est mihi natalis.' The mark of Conrad Bade, also signed
with the Lorraine cross, is on the first page of this book, which was
finished on July 15, 1548. 'Lutetiæ, Roberto Stephano, regio typographo,
et sibi, Conradus Badius excudebat, idibus Julii M. D. XLVIII.'
It was shortly after, in this same year, that Théodore de Bèze, on
recovering from a severe illness, withdrew to Geneva, and abjured 'the
papacy, as he had sworn to God to do at the age of sixteen.' The portrait
has been reproduced on copper; there is a copy of the reproduction in the
collection of Tory's work at the Bibliothèque Nationale.
[Illustration: LVCHINVS]
1549
I. PAULI IOVII NOVOCOMENSIS VITÆ DUODECIM VICECOMITUM
MEDIOLANIPRINCIPUM.--EX BIBLIOTHECA REGIA.--LUTETIÆ. EX OFFICINA
ROB. STEPHANI, TYPOGRAPHI REGII. M. D. XLIX.
Quarto of 199 pages. Paris, 1549. This book is a faithful copy of the
manuscript of the same work, preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale.[396]
It is embellished with beautiful letters in grisaille with criblé
background, and with portraits of the ten dukes of Milan who figure in
the manuscript. These portraits, all marked with the Lorraine cross,
are faithful reproductions of those in the manuscript, but on a smaller
scale. Following is a list of the portraits, taken by Paulus Jovius from
originals which existed in his day and of which he gives, in each case,
the place where it may be found:--
1. Otho archiepiscopus. 2. Matthæus magnus. 3. Galeacius primus. 4.
Actius. 5. Luchinus. 6. Joannes archiepiscopus. 7. Galeacius secundus. 8.
Barnabas. 9. Joannes Galeacius primus. 10. Philippus.
There is a French translation of this book, printed in 1552 by Charles
Estienne (Robert was then in exile at Geneva), with the same plates.
As for the Latin version, it was reprinted several times, in different
places, with engravings on copper copied from those of Robert Estienne's
edition.
* * * * *
II. ENTRÉE DE HENRI II À PARIS.
Quarto; Paris, Jacques Roffet, called 'Le Faulcheur,' 1549.
This book, of 38 leaves, consists of two parts: the 'Entrée du roi,' of
28 leaves, and the 'Entrée de la reine,' in which the pagination is
repeated, but with different signatures. The privilege, dated Chantilly
the last day of March, 1548 (1549 new style), grants to Roffet the sole
right to have printed and to offer for sale during one year 'the treatise
_which is to be written_ concerning the recent, joyful entrée,' etc.
[Illustration]
There were two editions of this book, or, at all events, there are some
copies with additions to the second part--after folio 34. There are also
copies with the imprint of Jean Dallier. A list of the engravings follows:
1. A portico, above which we see Hercules holding, bound together by
the ears (by means of a chain issuing from his mouth and representing
eloquence), a wood-chopper, a soldier, a priest, and a noble (folio 4).
I can find no mark on this piece, but it is a reproduction of the Gallic
Hercules of 'Champ fleury.'
2. A fountain (folio 5 verso).
3. A triumphal arch surmounted by the arms of France (folio 9).
4. An obelisk on a rhinoceros (folio 11). The cross is under the left foot
of the rhinoceros.
5. A peristyle with pillars (folio 13).
6. A triumphal arch surmounted by three nude men, one of whom holds a
standard (folio 15).
7. A large vaulted hall, on the ceiling of which are H's and D's (folio
16). The cross is in a portico at the left.
8. A mounted man, armed (folio 19). The cross is in the horse's harness,
on the breastplate, a little below his mouth.
9. A triumphal arch, with two pillars (one on each side) surmounted by a
man on horseback (folio 38). The cross is on the left-hand pillar.
10. A portico with two openings, separated by a pillar against which rests
the statue of a woman standing on books (folio 39 verso).
11. A large plate, representing the façade of a palace with three porticos
(folio 40).
Of these eleven plates only four are signed; but all of them must have
come from Tory's workshop, for the style is the same. The absence of the
signature may be explained by the haste with which the engravings were
executed in order that they might appear at the opportune moment.
I cannot refrain from quoting M. Renouvier's remarks on the engravings in
this book, which, for lack of information, he attributed to Jean Cousin.
'I will, however, mention in this place the "Entrée de Henri II à Paris"
in 1549, because it is the chef-d'œuvre of French wood-engraving, and
because I know of no one to whom it can with more reason be attributed
than to the Sénonais master.[397] If he did not work for the court, he
may very well have been employed upon works for the city. Those which
were executed to commemorate the coronation of Queen Catherine de Medici
are of a manner of composition and a style that belong only to him.
The Gallic Hercules, made in the likeness of the late King François I,
with the four estates of the realm chained to his mouth; the fountain
surmounted by statues of the Seine, the Marne, and Good Fortune; the
triumphal arch bearing a Typhis, whose face strongly resembles that of the
"rex triumphans"; and, lastly, the figure of Lutetia nova Pandora "clad
as a nymph, with her hair falling over her shoulders and drawn about her
face, kneeling on one knee with wondrous grace"; and all the other details
which the artist painted, as happening in the streets through which the
procession passed, and which he included by way of narrative, are in the
refined manner of the French school. The drawing is pure and full of
delicacy, and the engraving so skilfully handled that one cannot believe
it to be by a different hand. It would seem that none but a sculptor
could, within such narrow limits, have set in relief those interesting
faces, designed those graceful figures, and arranged those draperies; and
that sculptor--who could it have been if not the author of the mausoleum
of Admiral Chabot, the French artist who best represented the two sides
of art,--detail and strength, compression and grandeur, gothicism and the
Renaissance?'[398]
While agreeing with M. Renouvier that these plates were drawn by Jean
Cousin, we may well, it seems to me, attribute the engraving of them to
Tory's workshop.
* * * * *
III. HORÆ IN LAUDEM BEATISSIMÆ VIRGINIS MARIÆ, AD
USUM ROMANUM. (Here a small mark of the printer Chaudière,
representing Time, with this device, printed from type, occupying
three sides of the engraving: 'Hanc aciem | sola | retvndit
virtvs.') 'Parisiis, ex officina Reginaldi Calderii et Claudii ejus
filii.' 1549.
Large quarto, divided into signatures of two sheets, _a_ to _y_ (the _k_,
probably because that letter was lacking in the font used, is represented
by an _l_ and a _z_ joined together), or 22 signatures of 8 leaves, making
176 leaves; printed in red and black.
This volume corresponds in all respects with the one issued by Simon de
Colines in 1543[399]; but the Chaudières (Simon de Colines's successors)
have removed a French inscription which appeared below the third plate
(the Angelic Salutation) in the edition of 1543; and they have removed all
the dates inscribed in the borders of that edition. These dates are: 1536,
which appeared in large figures in a cartouche at the foot of the border
of folio _b_ 4 of the edition of 1543; 1537, in a cartouche at the foot
of the sixth plate (the Annunciation to the Shepherds); and 1539, in two
small cartouches at the top of the border of folio _a_ 2; so that all the
cartouches are empty in this edition of 1549.
I know of only two copies of this edition, one belonging to M. Kühnholtz,
the learned librarian of the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier, the
other offered for sale at Claudin's bookshop in 1860. This last copy, in
a state of perfect preservation, is still in its original binding, with
S's _barré_, and small tortoises (_tortues_) in wreaths of olive. These
are the allusive[400] arms of the Tourteron family near Attigny. There is
also, on one of the fly-leaves at the front of the book, a large tortoise
coloured from life, on a red ground, in a green olive wreath; and at the
four corners a monogram of an I and two G's, the initials of the original
owner's baptismal names. The volume afterwards belonged to J.-F. Corel du
Clos, priest and canon, who wrote his name on the title-page and pasted
his arms, engraved on copper, in an empty space at the foot of folio _h_ 3
verso. Du Clos seems to have parted with it to the Cordeliers of Rheims,
in whose library it remained doubtless until the Revolution.
* * * * *
IV. PREMIER VOLUME DES ANTIQUITÉS DE LA GAULE BELGIQUE,
ROYAUME DE FRANCE, AUSTRASIE ET LORRAINE ... PAR M. RICHARD DE
WASSEBOURG, ARCHIDIACRE DE L'ÉGLISE DE VERDUN ... ACHEVÉ D'IMPRIMER
LE 13 NOVEMBRE 1549.
A large folio of more than 600 leaves, printed at Paris by François
Girault. The privilege, in the name of Sertenas, bookseller, is dated
October 1, 1549. It was issued evidently while the printing was in
progress, for it is impossible that the volume was made in a month and a
half.
On the first page is the fine frontispiece of the Dream of Poliphilus,
above which is the mark of Jacques Kerver. There is but one way to explain
this fact, and that is to assume that Kerver was the printer of the book.
It may be that there are copies in his name. In that case he may have
furnished the border, which was left in all the copies.
On the second leaf is the representation of the 'Ymage de nostre Dame de
Verdun,' with the Lorraine cross. The Virgin, seated, has in her right
hand a flower, and in the left the Child Jesus, holding in his left hand
the globe surmounted by a cross. The Virgin's feet rest on a winged
dragon. Below her is a man kneeling, with his coat-of-arms before him.
Presumably it is the author of the book.
After folio cccli, which concludes the first volume, comes the second
volume, the pagination of which follows on. The title-page of this volume,
while it is set in the border of the Poliphilus, differs slightly from
that of the first. It reads thus: 'Second volume des antiquités de la
Gaule Belgique et de plusieurs principautez contenues en icelle, extraites
soubs les vies des evesques de Verdun, par M. Richard de Wassebourg.... On
les vend à Paris, en la gallerie du Palais, par Vincent Sertenas, libraire
audit lieu. Et aussi, se vend en la cité de Verdun.' On the verso is the
engraving described above. The Lorraine cross is under the dragon's tail.
[Illustration]
* * * * *
V. GERARD D'EUPHRATE.
Folio, roman type, Paris, Estienne Groulleau, 1549. There are copies also
with the imprint of Longis, and others with that of Sertenas.
This volume contains numerous engravings, large and small; but only 31 of
them are different, many being repeated once, twice, or thrice. Three are
signed with the Lorraine cross, as follows:--
Folios 5 verso, 64 verso, 89 verso, and 183. Vessels manned by soldiers. A
woman stands near the shield of him who seems to be in command.[401]
Folio 46. A knight armed cap-à-pie standing in the recess of a portico.
His right foot is hidden by a sort of altar whereon are the names of
Madanil, Bruneo, Agradiis, and Amadis.[402]
Folio 48. Bird's-eye view of a château which has been besieged, at whose
gate stands a warrior accompanied by a horse and a dog; he is parleying
with the keeper of the gate, who stands at the top of the entrance tower.
This last plate is a superb folio.
1550
* * * * *
I. HORÆ IN LAUDEM, etc.
Hours of the Virgin according to the use of Rome, in Greek and Latin.
Small sixteenmo, Paris, Jean de Roigny, 1550. Printed in red and black.
One of the engravings, on leaf 113, representing the Sacrifice of David,
is signed with the Lorraine cross. The others are not signed, but are
absolutely in the same style; they are: the Annunciation, folio 38
(repeated on 105), and the Resurrection of Lazarus, folio 133.[3]
* * * * *
II. BREVIARIUM AD RITUM DIOCESIS
EDUENSIS.--Parisiis, apud Iolandam Bonhomme, viduam Thielmani
Kerver, in via Jacobea, sub Unicorni.
Small octavo, 1550. On the first page are the arms of Cardinal Hippolyte
d'Este, Bishop of Autun, signed with the Lorraine cross.[403]
* * * * *
III. L'HISTOIRE DE PRIMALEON DE GRECE, etc.
Translated by Vernassal. Folio, Paris, 1550.
This fine volume, printed by Pasquier Letellier for the bookseller Vincent
Sertenas, for whom Tory had engraved a mark, contains fifty engravings
in the text. A single one is signed with the Lorraine cross: it is found
on folio 137 verso, and represents a lion fawning upon a woman who sits
beside a fountain.
There are copies of this book in the names of other booksellers--Étienne
Groulleau, Jean Longis, etc.; but the privilege is in the name of
Sertenas.[404] At the end of the volume is a note to the reader by
Letellier. 'Dear reader,' he says, 'if you have noticed, on reading this
book, the common orthography changed in some words, even as to the double
letter, which is not pronounced according to the true French method,
think not that that is of my doing, but that it accords with the earnest
recommendation of the author.'
* * * * *
IV. MISSALE SECUNDUM USUM CELEBRIS MONASTERII
CLUNIACENSIS, etc. Here the vignette described below, followed
by this imprint: 'Prostat Parisiis, apud Iolandam Bonhomme, in via
Jacobea, sub Unicorni, ubi et impressum est.--Anno D. M. CCCCC.
L.'
This missal is embellished, on the title-page, with a cut signed with the
Lorraine cross, and representing Saint Peter and Saint Paul, patron saints
of the Abbey of Cluny. This cut appears in other parts of the book, where
we find also the two large cuts hitherto described (page 214) as included
in the Missal of Paris, of 1539, published by order of Jean de Bellay. We
find also a Saint John Baptist, with the Paschal Lamb under his left arm,
and pointing to it with his right hand. This cut, which is signed in two
different places, is on folio 49 of the second part. It is of quarto size.
The book is in two parts, paged separately. The two large engravings are
on folios 116 and 117 of the first part. At the end of the Missal proper,
which is followed by a few other leaves, are these words: 'Ex officina
chalcographica matrone clarissime Iolande Bonhomme, vidue industrii
viri Thielmanni Kerver, Parisiis, in via Jacobea, sub Unicorni, anno D.
millesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo, idib. septembris.'
There are several copies of this book in the Bibliothèque Nationale. In
two of them the miniaturists have substituted for the date 1538, printed
on one of the large cuts, the dates on which they coloured it--1559 and
1567, respectively. It is well to call attention to such details as these,
which may give rise to mistakes.
We also find in the Cluny Missal the unsigned drawings to which I have
previously referred[405] and which are in the Paris Missals of 1539 and
1559.
* * * * *
V. HEURES DE NOSTRE DAME À L'USAIGE DE ROMME
[_sic_], EN LATIN ET EN FRANÇOYS, NOUVELLEMENT IMPRIMÉES À
PARIS. (Here a vignette representing the Virgin under a
portico; at the foot the letters F. R., initials of François
Regnault, deceased husband of Madeleine Boursette.) 'A Paris, par
Magdaleine Boursette, à l'enseigne de l'Elephant, à la rue Sainct
Jacques.'
On the verso of the title-page a table of Easter-Days from 1550 to 1566.
Sixteenmo, in signatures of 8 leaves. The work is in two parts; the first
has 168 numbered leaves, signatures A to X; the second part has only 32
leaves, signatures A to D. Roman type, double columns, printed in red
and black. On the recto of folio 168 of the first part, at the foot, are
these words: 'Parisiis excudebat Stephanus Mesviere in ædibus Vindocimis,
ex adverso collegii Becodiani.--1550.' And on the last leaf of the second
part: 'Cy finent ces presentes Heures a l'usaige de Romme, en latin et en
françoys, nouvellement imprimées à Paris, par Estienne Mesviere, demourant
a l'hostel de Vendosmes, devant le college de Boncourd.--M. D. L.'
This precious book, of which I know of but one copy, owned by M.
Silvestre, author of 'Les Marques Typographiques,' contains many
engravings. The principal ones are:
Folio 5 recto, Saint John writing his Gospel (signed).
12 recto, Jesus at prayer in the Garden of Olives.
33 recto, The Angelic Salutation (signed).
47 verso, The Visitation (signed).
56 verso, The Nativity of Jesus (signed).
60 recto, The Annunciation to the Shepherds (signed).
63 verso, The Adoration of the Magi (signed).
67 recto, The Presentation in the Temple (signed).
70 verso, The Flight into Egypt (signed).
77 recto, The Coronation of the Virgin.
89 recto, Jesus on the Cross.
93 verso, The Descent of the Holy Ghost (signed).
97 verso, The Penance of David (signed).
109 verso, Job on the Dunghill.
168 verso, Death (signed).
* * * * *
VI. HORÆ IN LAUDEM BEATISSIME VIRGINIS MARIE AD USUM
ROMANUM.--Parisiis, apud Thielmannum Kerver. M. D. L.
On the verso of the last leaf: 'Excudebat Parisiis, Thielmannus Kerver, in
vico sancti Iacobi, sub signo Cratis.--M. D. L.'
Small octavo of 172 unnumbered leaves; signatures A to X of 8 leaves and
Y of 4. Roman type, printed in red and black, with the small borders with
birds, etc., used by Mallard in his Hours of 1541.[406]
1551
I. DE SACRIS ECCLESIÆ MINISTERIIS AC BEN[E]FICIIS
LIBRI VIII ... AUTHORE FRANCISCO DUARENO JURECONSULTO ET ORDINARIO
JURIS CIVILIS DOCTORE IN CIVITATE BITURIG[I].--Lutetiæ,
ex typographia Matthæi Davidis, via Amygdalina, ad Veritatis
insigne.--1551.
Quarto of 338 leaves, plus one unnumbered leaf, on which are the words:
'Parisiis, excudebat Matthæus David, prid. calend. nov. [October 31] 1551.
On the title-page is David's mark, with the Lorraine cross. On the verso,
a portrait of Le Duaren, in the shape of a medallion, also signed with
the Lorraine cross. Encircling it, the legend: 'francisc. dvarenvs.
jvrisc.[407]
The work opens with an epistle to Marguerite, Duchesse de Berry, and
sister of François I. This letter, dated Paris, the Ides of June, 1550,
is more properly a dedication, for in it Le Duaren mentions the death of
Marguerite, which took place in 1549. He tells us, further, in the title
of this epistle, that it was written before his return to Bourges, which
he had been obliged to leave in 1547, as the result of a love-affair
('antequam Lutetia Parisiorum Avaricum Biturigum migrasset').[408]
* * * * *
II. CICERO'S WORKS (in Latin), published by
Charles Estienne, from 1551 to 1555, in four folio volumes, usually
bound in two.
This important work is embellished with a frieze engraved for Robert
Estienne, and signed with the Lorraine cross,--a frieze which appears in
the second volume of the works of Eusebius of 1544.[409] We also find
therein several floriated letters signed with the Lorraine cross.[410]
These are the E, the O, and the S of the medium alphabet,--for there
are three alphabets of different sizes, all three formed by Renaissance
arabesques. The largest is the one used in the folio Eusebius of 1544,
which, consequently, was engraved for Robert Estienne; but it has no
signature. The medium alphabet was, doubtless, engraved for Charles
Estienne in this same year 1551, in which he began to conduct a
printing-office. I cannot say whether any other letters of this medium
alphabet bore the Lorraine cross, for they do not all appear in the book,
but I am sure that the G has none. Of course, after Tory died, the artists
employed in the establishment carried on by his widow had no reason to
select the G rather than another letter.
I give some details concerning this valuable edition, of which M. Didot
owned a copy annotated by Henri Estienne. The text of the first volume,
printed in 1551, as stated in an imprint at the end (dated the 3d of the
Nones of September), exhibits one of the letters mentioned above--the S
(on folios 56 and 298). This volume received later a large title-page
dated 1555, and a dedication, to the Cardinal de Lorraine, also dated 1555
(the 6th of the Kalends of March), on which we find the frieze of the
Eusebius of 1544, signed, and bearing on a medallion Fame distributing
wreaths.[411] The text of the second volume, also of 1551, as I discovered
from an incomplete copy in the library at Montbrison (it has no final
imprint, but on the title-page some one has added III by hand
to the original numerals M. D. LI, so that it might correspond
with the other copies), contains the three floriated letters signed with
the Lorraine cross (folios 47, 122, 230, 313, 388, 398); we find also,
on the title-page, dated 1554, Charles Estienne's small mark described
later.[412] The text of the third volume was probably printed in 1552, but
it has no final imprint. The title-page is dated 1555; it has the small
mark with the Lorraine cross. The fourth bears on the title-page the date
1554, but it was not finished until 1555, as is shown by the final imprint
(3d of the Kalends of March, 1555); the vignette of the title-page is
unlike that in the second and third volumes, although of the same size,
and has not the cross. The work did not appear until 1555, as is shown by
the date on the title-page of the first volume, on which there is another
larger mark, also without the cross.[413]
1552
I. HEURES PARIS [_sic_], CONTENANT
PLUSIEURS ORAISONS DEVOTES, EN FRANÇOIS ET EN LATIN ET CONFESSION
GENERALE. (Here the mark of Thielman Kerver, with the Lorraine
cross.) Imprimé à Paris par Thielman Kerver, demourant rue Sainct
Jaques, à l'enseigne du Gril.--1552.
Duodecimo, red and black; signatures A to O. Tory's small border with
decorations of birds. Plates of the Hours of 1541.[414]
* * * * *
II. TESTAMENTUM NOVUM.--ADDITIS PICTURIS IN EVANGELIA
ET APOCALYPSIM, QUIBUS MIRACULA ET VISIONES ELEGANTISSIME
EXPRIMUNTUR. (Mark of Madeleine Boursette, widow of François
Regnault; Silvestre, no. 396.) 'Parisiis. Apud viduam Francisci
Regnault, via Jacobæa.--1552.'
At the end of the volume: 'Parisiis. Excudebat Stephanus Mesviere, in
ædibus Vindocimis, ex adverso collegii Becodiani.'--1552.
Thirty-twomo; 45 signatures (_a_ to _z_, A to Y) of eight leaves each,
or 360 leaves in all. Only the first 350 are numbered; the last 10,
containing the index, are without folios. Printed in very small roman type.
This book contains 120 engravings inserted in the text, and serving
thus 'to illustrate,' as we should say to-day, or 'to express,' as the
publisher says on the title-page, the Gospels and the Apocalypse. Those
relating to the Apocalypse, 22 in number, are of earlier date than the
others, and by another hand. Of those which illustrate the Gospels, many
are signed with the double cross. Although several of them relate to
subjects previously treated in the octavo Hours of 1527 and the sixteenmo
Hours of 1529, the engravings, while they are of nearly the same size, are
different none the less. A list of their titles follows:--
Folio 2 recto, St. Matthew writing his Gospel.
3 verso, Adoration of the Magi.
4 verso, The Flight into Egypt (signed).
5 recto, Massacre of the Innocents (signed).
5 verso, Baptism of Jesus.
6 verso, Jesus carried up into a Mountain (signed).
8 recto, Jesus bids Simon and Andrew to follow Him (signed).
12 recto, Jesus curing the Paralytic.
13 verso, Jesus expelling the Money-changers from the Temple
(signed).
16 verso, St. John in Prison (signed).
18 recto, The Apostles pardoned by Jesus.
20 recto, Parable of the Sower.
26 verso, Jesus teaching.
27 verso, Jesus driving out the Devils (signed).
30 recto, The Mother and Brothers of Jesus (signed).
31 recto, Jesus and the Ass.
31 verso, Jesus entering Jerusalem.
32 recto, Jesus cursing the Fig-tree.
33 recto, Parable of the Reapers (signed).
33 verso, The Vine-Dresser slaying the only Son.
36 recto, Jesus likens Himself to the Hen.
37 recto, Jesus arguing with the Doctors (signed).
39 recto, Parable of the Virgins (signed).
41 verso, The Lord's Supper.
47 verso, St. Mark writing his Gospel.
50 recto, The Apostles pardoned by Jesus (as on p. 18).
52 verso, One does not hide the Light under a Bushel (signed).
53 recto, Jesus expelling the Devils, which enter into the
Swine (signed).
56 recto, St. John's head borne by Herodias.
57 verso, Jesus walking on the Water (signed).
59 recto, The deaf and dumb Man (signed).
59 verso, The Miracle of the Loaves.
60 verso, Jesus curing a blind Man (signed).
63 verso, Jesus blessing the little Children.
69 verso, The Magdalen pouring Spices.
75 verso, St. Luke writing his Gospel.
77 recto, The Annunciation (signed).
77 verso, The Visitation (signed).
79 recto, The Nativity (signed).
79 verso, The Annunciation to the Shepherds (signed).
80 verso, The Circumcision (signed).
81 verso, Jesus among the Doctors (signed).
82 recto, St. John Baptist preaching (signed).
83 recto, The Tree not bringing forth Fruits.
84 verso, Jesus explaining the Writings in the Temple (signed).
85 verso, Cure of Simon's Mother-in-law (signed).
87 recto, Cure of the Paralytic (signed).
88 verso, Jesus effecting Cures.
90 recto, Jesus curing the Widow's Son (signed).
97 recto, Jesus sends his Apostles forth to preach the Gospel.
98 recto, Jesus discoursing to his Disciples.
98 verso, Parable of the Good Samaritan (signed).
100 verso, Jesus instructing a Woman (signed).
101 recto, Jesus dining with a Pharisee (signed).
107 verso, Return of the Prodigal Son.
108 verso, The Rich Man in Flames and Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom.
110 recto, Cure of the ten Lepers (signed).
111 verso, The Shepherd and the Pharisee.
112 recto, The Parable of the Camel.
112 verso, Nicodemus on the Tree.
118 recto, The Lord's Supper (as on p. 41).
118 verso, Jesus in the Garden of Olives.
122 verso, The Disciples at Emmaus.
124 recto, The Ascension.
125 verso, St. John writing his Gospel.
126 verso, The Trinity.
128 recto, The Marriage at Cana.
128 verso, Jesus expelling the Money-Changers.
131 recto, The Woman of Samaria.
132 verso, Jesus curing the Son of a Wood-sawyer (signed).
133 verso, The Pool (signed).
134 recto, Jesus answering the Doctors (signed).
135 verso, same as on p. 59.[415]
137 recto, The Withered Hand.
140 recto, The Woman taken in Adultery (signed).
142 recto, Jesus leaving the Temple.
142 verso, Jesus curing the blind Man.
145 recto, Jesus in flight.
146 verso, Resurrection of Lazarus (signed).
147 verso, The Priests deliberating as to putting Jesus to Death
(signed).
150 verso, The Lord's Supper (as on pp. 41 and 118).
155 verso, St. Peter cutting off Malthus's Ear.
156 recto, Jesus before Caiaphas.
157 verso, Jesus before Pontius Pilate.
158 recto, The Scourging.
158 verso, The Crown of Thorns.
159 recto, Jesus beneath the Cross.
159 verso, Jesus Crucified.
160 verso, Jesus Entombed.
161 verso, The Women going to the Tomb.
162 recto, The Women announcing the Resurrection to the Disciples
(signed).
162 verso, The Magdalen takes Jesus for the Gardener.
163 recto, The Ascension (signed).
312 verso, St. John writing.
321 verso, St. John receiving the Revelation.
323 recto, Alpha and Omega.
326 verso, A Throne erected in Heaven.
Then follow the engravings of the Apocalypse, impossible to describe, and
in an entirely different manner. At the end of the book is an engraving of
the Christ on the Cross, surrounded by rays of light.
* * * * *
III. LE PREMIER LIVRE DE LA CHRONIQUE DU TRES VAILLANT
ET REDOUTÉ DOM FLORES DE GRECE. Folio, Jean Longis, 1552.
There are many engravings in this book, but only one of them is signed
with the Lorraine cross. That one is on folio 90 verso, and represents
soldiers before a tower. It is reproduced in 'L'Histoire paladine,' folio,
Étienne Groulleau, 1555, on folio 56 verso.
1553
Ronsard's 'LES AMOURS' annotated by Marc-Antoine Muret.
Octavo, printed by Maurice de la Porte's widow, 1553.[416] This edition
of 'Les Amours' is embellished with a portrait of Muret, signed with the
Lorraine cross, and bearing the inscription 'An. XXV,' which proves that
it was engraved that same year, for Muret was born in 1526.[417] This
portrait reappears, but without the inscription, in several other editions
of Ronsard. I will mention particularly the quarto edition of his works,
issued in 1567 by Gabriel Buon, successor to Maurice de la Porte's widow,
and the folio issued in 1623 by Nicolas Buon, Gabriel's son.
1554
LES OBSERVATIONS DE PLUSIEURS SINGULARITEZ ET CHOSES MEMORABLES
TROUVÉES EN GRECE. By Pierre Belon. Quarto, Paris, 1554.
There were two editions of this book, printed by Benoît Prevost, for
Gilles Corrozet and Guillaume Cavellat, respectively, in 1553 and 1554.
The copies in Corrozet's name bear his mark, signed with the Lorraine
cross. There is a portrait of Belon signed with the cross at the end of
the front matter in the edition of 1554. I have not seen it in any copy
of the edition of 1553, which leads me to think that it had not then been
engraved. And, in effect, the fact that the portrait attributes to Belon
the age of thirty-six years seems to show that it was not drawn until
1554, as Belon is supposed to have been born in 1518. However that may be,
the portrait appeared afterward in several other books by the same author,
and particularly in his 'Histoire de la nature des oiseaux,' folio, 1555.
1555
HISTOIRE DE LA NATURE DES OISEAUX. By Pierre Belon. Folio,
Paris, G. Corrozet, 1555.
In this book we find, in addition to the portrait of Belon, seven cuts of
birds, signed with the Lorraine cross. They are: the osprey, folio 96; the
sea-gull, 169; the bustard, 238; the pullet, 252; the loriot, 295; the
woodpecker, 304; the sparrow-hawk, 376. Some of the other engravings in
the volume are signed with a white cross on a black ground.
1556
I. LES SINGULARITEZ DE LA FRANCE ANTARCTIQUE, AUTREMENT
NOMMÉE AMERIQUE, ET DE PLUSIEURS TERRES ET ISLES DECOUVERTES DE
NOSTRE TEMPS. Par F. André Thevet, natif d'Angoulesme.--A
Paris, chez les héritiers de Maurice de la Porte, au clos Bruneau, à
l'enseigne S. Claude.--1558.
This rare and curious volume is a quarto of 8 preliminary leaves, 166
leaves of text, and 2 of index unnumbered,--in all, 46 signatures. The
privilege, which is printed on the verso of the title-page, is dated
Saint-Germain-en-Laye, December 18, 1556. In the dedication, addressed to
the Cardinal of Sens, Jean Bertrand, first Keeper of the Seals of France,
Thevet says that the country described by him maybe called the fourth part
of the world, 'for that no one has as yet made explorations there, all
geographers thinking that the world is limited to that which the ancients
have described to us.'
There are 41 engravings in the text, not including borders, floriated
letters, and Jean Bertrand's arms on the title-page. Of the 41, only seven
are signed with the double cross; four of these represent scenes in the
life of the American savage,--they are on folios 6 verso, 31 recto, 47
verso, and 151 recto; a fifth represents an extraordinary bird called _pa_
(45 recto); and the other two, plants,--the pineapple (89 verso), and the
cassava (113 verso). The last three appear in André Thevet's 'Cosmographie
Universelle,' published in 1575, in two volumes, folio.[418] The others
also appear in that work, but reëngraved on a larger scale, and without
signature.
The seven engravings signed with the double cross cannot have been
executed prior to 1556. For Thevet set out for the New World on November
4, 1555,[419] and remained there four months. So that it was not until
the early months of 1556, at the earliest, that the engravings could have
been executed. But, as the book did not appear until the beginning of
1558,[420] it may be that they were still in process of execution in 1557.
In the same year with the publication of Thevet's 'Singularités,' an
octavo edition appeared at Antwerp, with the imprint of Christophe
Plantin, and a privilege from the King of Spain, dated Brussels, April 20,
1558. The haste with which this reprint was prepared shows the interest
with which the book was regarded. The woodcuts of the Antwerp edition
are nothing more than wretched copies of those in the Paris edition. We
find among them, however, in chapters 56, 58, 67, and 74, cuts of animals
bearing the cipher of Jost Amman.
* * * * *
II. HORÆ IN LAUDEM BEATISSIMÆ VIRGINIS MARIÆ AD USUM
ROMANUM. (Here the mark of T. Kerver, without the cross.)
Parisiis, apud Thielman Kerver, in via sancti Jacobi, sub signo
Cratis.
Duodecimo, 1556. Signatures A to M, and A to C vi. Border decorated with
birds, with the small engravings of 1529. M. Niel owns a copy of this
book bound with Tory's toolings. It has the Pot Cassé on the edges.
Another copy, belonging to M. Portalis, is bound with the prayers (in
French) described on page 219.
1557
I. LES FIGURES ET PORTRAICTS DES PARTIES DU CORPS
HUMAIN.--A Paris, par Jaques Kerver, rue S. Jaques, aux deux
cochetz.--1557.
Folio, containing 61 large anatomical plates, several of which are signed
with the Lorraine cross, and dated 1531, 1532, or 1533. This collection
was reprinted in the same form, by the same publisher, in 1575.[421]
II. LES QUATRE LIVRES D'ALBERT DURER, PEINTRE ET
GEOMETRIEN EXCELLENT, DE LA PROPORTION DES PARTIES ET POURTRAITZ DES
CORPS HUMAINS, TRADUITS PAR LOYS MEIGRET, LIONNOIS, DE LANGUE LATINE
EN FRANÇOISE.
Folio; Paris, chez Charles Perier, at the sign of the Bellerophon,[422]
1557.
In the same year Perier published an edition of Durer's work in Latin,
similar in every respect to the French edition. It is entitled 'De
Symetria partium humanorum corporum.' I am unable to say which was printed
first.
1559
PSALTERIUM DAVIDICUM GRÆCOLATINUM.... Parisiis,
apud Ægidium Gorbinum, sub insigne Spei, prope collegium
Cameracense.--1559.
On the last leaf: 'Parisiis, excudebat Benedictus Prævotius, ad Stellam
Auream, via Frumentello.'
Twenty-fourmo of 278 numbered leaves of text, and 20 unnumbered
preliminary leaves; printed in red and black.
This little volume, printed in Greek and Latin, two columns on a page, was
called to my attention by M. Lornier, barrister, of Rouen. Opposite the
first page of text is a small engraving, signed with the Lorraine cross,
representing the penance of David. David is on his knees, with a book
before him and his harp at his right hand; he is gazing at God the Father,
who is seen in the sky blessing him. Doubtless this engraving appears in
other books of earlier date. It is 73 millimetres high by 55 wide.
ENGRAVINGS OF UNCERTAIN DATE.
I. FIGURE DE L'ANCIENNE ET DE LA NOUVELLE ALLIANCE.
A large plate, 35 centimetres in width by 27 in height, divided into two
parts by a tree at the foot of which is Man, thus placed on the boundary
of the two worlds. The tree bears only withered branches on the left side
(the old alliance), whereas, on the right (the new alliance), it is green
and flourishing.
In the compartment at the left we see Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Eve is offering Adam the apple. Beneath them is the word 'peche.'[423]
Lower still is a skeleton on a bier, with the words 'la mort' beneath.
Above the Garden is Mount Sinai, whereon Moses is receiving the tables of
the law; beneath, on the right, the 'terrestrial Jerusalem,' wherein are
devout persons being devoured by serpents, with the serpent of brass in
the midst, and above it the words, 'Similitvde de la ivstification.' Moses
appears on the right; at the left, and a little lower, Hagar and Ishmael;
lower still, the prophet pointing out to Man Jesus on the Cross at the
right.
In the compartment at the right we see God standing on the terrestrial
globe, with the words, 'Iervsalem celeste'; above, 'Mont Sion,' on which
stands a woman's figure, with the words 'La Grace' over her head. An angel
bearing a cross descends from Heaven (where are the words, 'Emmanvel Diev
avec novs') amid rays of light which fall upon the woman. Lower, at the
left, is another angel announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds.
Near by, at the right, the Christ on the Cross, with the words, 'nostre
ivstice,' and the Paschal Lamb, with the words, 'nostre innocence'; below,
Jesus coming forth from the tomb, with the words, 'nostre victoire'; still
lower, at the left, St. John Baptist pointing out to Man the Christ on the
Cross; the Forerunner is indicated by the words, 'Lenseignevr de Christ,'
in a cartouche; above St. John are Sarah and Isaac.
In each of the compartments is a number of figures which apparently
correspond to some vanished text.[424] There are eight in the one at the
right and nine in the other. 'Man' is marked with a zero. I am unable to
give the origin of this plate, which is in the Cabinet des Estampes in the
Bibliothèque Nationale, and was for a long time attributed to Jean Cousin.
It was M. Devéria who removed it from that artist's work and placed it
with Tory's, whose double cross it bears, at the left, below the cartouche
containing the words 'Lenseignevr de Christ.' I believe that it belongs in
some large folio Bible; for I have seen the subject treated in a more or
less summary fashion[425] on the title-pages of several Bibles, in French
and other languages. I will mention particularly the following, all of
which are in the Bibliothèque Nationale. (1) A French Bible, printed at
Antwerp in 1530, by Martin l'Empereur; (2) A Bible in old Saxon, printed
at Lubeck in 1533 by Ludowich Dietz (the same woodcuts reappear in an
edition in Danish, issued by the same printer, at Copenhagen, in 1550);
(3) A Bible in Latin, from the text of Erasmus, published in 1543 or 1544,
with two engravings by Cranach; (4) A Bible in Flemish, printed at Antwerp
in 1556. I will mention also Luther's Latin Commentaries ('enarrationes')
on the Bible, printed at Nuremberg in 1555, with an engraving on the
title-page dated 1552.
Whatever its source, this drawing was reproduced in 1562, on a large
enamelled plate in tinted grisaille, attributed to Pierre Rexmond,
enameller, at Limoges. The sketch for this plate was published in 1843,
after a copy in the collection of M. Baron, in the volume entitled
'Meubles et Armes du moyen âge,' a large quarto, published by Hauser,
dealer in prints on Boulevard des Italiens.[426] It is no. 127 in the
collection. In this drawing the groups are arranged in chronological
order, the circular form of the plate making it impossible to retain
the arrangement of the engraving. But the various subjects and their
respective inscriptions are identical, save for the errors in orthography
with which the Limousin artist has besprinkled the latter. The two
Jerusalems are separated by two trees, which, starting at the outer border
of the plate, formed of Renaissance arabesques, join their heads at the
centre, where there is a medallion containing the face of Marguerite de
Valois, sister of François I.[427]
This subject has been treated also in a cameo now in the Bibliothèque
Nationale, but in a very summary fashion because of the small size of the
piece, which is only 57 millimetres in width by 72 in height. All the
essential details of the engraving are reproduced. A description of this
interesting cameo will be found under no. 317, in the 'Notice du Cabinet
des médailles,' published by M. Chabouillet, one of the conservators of
that priceless collection. It has been reproduced, too, in the collection
of 'Mémoires de la Société des antiquaires de Morinie,' and the curious
feature of the business is that the engraver has taken for his mark the
arms of the city of Saint-Omer, which are the Lorraine cross.
II. RECUEIL DES ROIS DE FRANCE, LEURS COURONNE ET
MAISON, ENSEMBLE LES RENGS DES GRANDS DE FRANCE, par Jean du
Tillet, sieur de la Bussiere, protonotaire et secretaire du roy,
greffier de son parlement.--Plus, une chronique abrégée contenant
tout ce qui est advenu ... entre les roys et princes ... estrangers,
par M. Jean du Tillet, évêque de Maux.[428]
Folio; one volume in two parts, Paris, J. du Puys, 1580.
This volume is an exact reproduction of the manuscript preserved at the
Bibliothèque Nationale, which I have already described.[429] Although
dedicated to Charles IX, the book was prepared for publication at a much
earlier date. In fact, the author tells us, in the dedicatory epistle,
that he had presented a copy to Henri II; indeed, it seems that he had it
prepared for printing at the insistence of the King and Queen, who had
promised 'to take care of the expenses.' This fact explains why almost
all the portraits of the kings of France, from Clovis to François I,
are signed with the Lorraine cross. These portraits are copied from the
miniatures of the manuscript, but are on a smaller scale; furthermore they
are in oval instead of square borders.
Du Tillet died in 1570, before he was able to carry out his project of
printing this work. On August 10, 1578,[430] his heirs obtained a license
to publish their 'late father's' work, which finally appeared in 1580; in
fact, one part is dated 1579. They made use of the woodcuts bearing the
Lorraine cross. Jean du Puys, the publisher,[431] added to the book some
portraits which are not in the manuscript (among others those of Henri II
and Charles IX), and which consequently do not bear Tory's mark.
Following is a complete list of the portraits contained in this volume,
with indication of those not in the manuscript and of those signed with
the Lorraine cross.
Folio 16, Clovis (signed).
18, Childebert; added.
19, Clotaire I (signed).
23, Sigebert (signed).
24, Chilperic and Fredegonde (signed).
28, Dagobert; added.
30, Clovis, son of Dagobert; added.
31, Clotaire III.
32, Childeric II; added.
35, Dagobert II; added.
41, Carloman I; added.
42, Charlemagne.
44, Louis le Debonnaire; modified.
48, Charles le Chauve (signed).
53, Charles le Simple.
54, Raoul (signed).
56, Louis d'Outre Mer.
58, Lothaire (signed).
75, Philippe I.
76, Louis le Gros.
92, Louis le Jeune.
94, Philippe-Auguste (signed).
101, Louis, père de Saint Louis (signed).
109, Charles II; added.
112, Saint Louis.
121, Philippe III; added.
133, Philippe le Bel (signed).
134, Louis le Hutin.
136, Philippe le Long.
137, Charles le Bel (signed).
138, Philippe de Valois.
140, Jean.
157, Charles V.
160, Charles VI.
164, Louis XI.
165, Charles VIII (signed).
166, Louis XII (signed); modified.
167, François I (signed); modified.
168, Henri II and Catherine de Médicis; added.
169, François II; added.
169, Charles IX; added.
It will be seen that there are, in all, 10[432] portraits added to those
found in the manuscript. For the other princes mentioned in the work,
whose features it was impossible to present, empty frames are printed.
Naturally, none of the portraits added to du Tillet's book by the editor
are marked with the Lorraine cross, and of the other 31, there are only
15[433] on which it is found.
These cuts were reproduced in a great many later editions of du Tillet's
work, both folio and quarto. I will mention particularly those of 1586,
1587, 1602, 1607, and 1608.
The volume contains also many engravings of shields and seals.
* * * * *
III. LA CONFÉRENCE ACCORDÉE ENTRE LES PREDICATEURS
CATHOLIQUES DE L'ORDRE DES CAPUCINS ET LES MINISTRES DE GENEVE.
Octavo; Paris, Denis Binet, near Porte S. Michel, 1598.
* * * * *
IV. LES THESES QUI ONT ESTÉ AFFIGÉES DANS LA VILLE DE
GENEVE.
Octavo; Paris, Denis Binet, near Porte S. Michel, 1598.
On the title-pages of these two volumes, both of which are in the
Bibliothèque Nationale, there is a woodcut signed with the Lorraine cross,
representing a cross with the crown of thorns, set in a border of the size
of a five-franc piece. It was undoubtedly engraved long before 1598.
* * * * *
V. ILLUSTRATION DE L'ANCIENNE IMPRIMERIE TROYENNE.
Quarto, Troyes, 1850 and 1859. The first fascicle of this book, which
consists of a collection of old woodcuts gathered by M. Varlot in the
printing-offices of Troyes, contains two signed with the Lorraine cross.
They are nos. 50 and 188. The first represents the Coronation of the
Virgin; we may join with it a piece in the same manner representing the
Visitation, no. 51 in the same collection; and no. 5 (the Virgin holding
the Child Jesus) of the fascicle published in 1859. These cuts, which are
in format a small folio, doubtless formed part of a series of engravings
relating to the Virgin and intended for a book of Hours.
MM. Alexis Socard and Alexandre Assier, in their work entitled 'Livres
liturgiques du diocèse de Troyes' (8vo, 1863), also give, on page 79,
an old Troyes woodcut, small folio, signed with the double cross,
representing the Descent of the Holy Ghost on the Virgin and the Apostles.
It is 135 millimetres high by 60 in width.
No. 188 of M. Varlot's fascicle, which is only one inch high by two wide,
represents a harvest. It was undoubtedly one of a series of engravings
illustrative of the twelve months. MM. Socard and Assier saw it in a book
of Hours printed at Troyes in 1583, by Jean du Ruan, who seems to have
inherited a portion of the woodcuts of Jean Le Coq, printer, of the same
city. We find also in M. Varlot's collection two woodcuts marked with the
letters G. T., which may have been Geofroy Tory's earlier mark, before he
had adopted a special symbol. These two are no. 84, in the criblé style,
and no. 131, in the Renaissance style.[434]
On account of the worn state of these cuts it is impossible to say whether
they are originals or copies. It is not impossible, however, that they
were executed by Tory for the printer Nicole Paris, or rather for Jean Le
Coq, whose mark he engraved also.[435]
* * * * *
VI. Not only at Paris and Troyes do we find woodcuts with the
Lorraine cross; we find them also at Orléans, at Chartres, at Poitiers,
and even at Lyon, although the last-named city had a most flourishing
school of engraving of its own; witness the illustrations of the Bible
after Holbein,[436] published by Jean Frellon, in 1547, and those of
Salomon Bernard, published by the de Tournes after 1553. But the works
executed by Tory for Simon de Colines, Robert Estienne, and the rest, had
so spread his name abroad, that there was not a printer of taste in France
who did not seek the honour of obtaining some work of our artist. In this
way Jean de Tournes, first of the name, who was unquestionably one of
the most famous printers of Lyon, had engraved by Tory, or by his widow,
borders and pictures in considerable numbers; unfortunately we find very
few of them signed, whether because Tory's mark was afterward removed from
the others, or because he omitted to place it upon them, in accordance
with the wish of Jean de Tournes; for in those days printers were very
desirous to appropriate the engravings that they ordered, especially at
Lyon, where, nominally at least, no other engraver was known than Salomon
Bernard; moreover, it is well to note that that artist, none of whose work
is signed, is known only because his name was afterward published by the
printers, in the very interest of their publications.
However, I propose to give a list of the pieces signed with the Lorraine
cross which I have seen in books published by the de Tournes, that is, by
Jean I and Jean II, his son; for it is impossible, in default of any sort
of a catalogue, for me to decide what ones are attributable to each of
them. As a matter of fact, I should be justified in confining myself to
the second, if he had not himself said that he used woodcuts belonging to
his father. And, in truth, although we know of no books published by the
latter with engravings, except his edition of Petrarch of 1545 (reprinted
in 1547), and his book of Chiromancy and Physiognomy, also of 1545,
octavo, everything seems to indicate that those marked with the Lorraine
cross were made for Jean I, who died about 1550.
The first book that I shall mention is an octavo volume, without title,
described thus by M. Didot in his 'Essai sur la Gravure,' col. 235;
'Pamphlet without title, printed on one side only, with this imprint on
page 1: "A Lion, Ian de Tournes, 1551." The border, composed of arabesques
in white on a black ground, has at the foot the Lorraine cross. Twenty-two
of these engravings represent scenes from the theatre of the ancients; the
ninth bears the Lorraine cross.' This pamphlet was reprinted in 1556, as
we shall see in a moment.
The second book that I shall mention is an octavo volume, without date,
entitled: 'Thesaurus amicorum,' which is in the Bibliothèque Nationale. It
contains three series of borders: (1) Borders with arabesques in black on
a white ground (one of them is signed with a very small Lorraine cross);
(2) Borders with arabesques in white on a black ground (one of these also
is signed with a small white cross); (3) Borders with grotesque subjects,
licentious and otherwise. These last, none of which are signed, represent
figures analogous to those that are found in the 'Songes drolatiques'
attributed to Rabelais, and seem to be modelled upon them.
In the first part of the book, the borders, 32 in number, are empty[437];
in the second part, they enclose medallions of famous characters of
ancient times, with mottoes in all sorts of languages. There are
96 of these portraits. They were reproduced, with many others, in a
book printed in 1559, under the title, 'Insignium aliquot virorum
icones' (octavo).[438] In the dedication, to G. Tuffano, 'gymnasiarchæ
Nemausensi,' Jean de Tournes, second of the name, the printer of the
book, informs us that he undertook it in order to utilize the woodcuts
left by his father. 'Cum pater jamdudum haberet hasce icones inutiles ne
omnino perirent, hæc pauca, quæ huic opusculo insunt, ex variis auctoribus
accumulavi....' In this book the medallions number one hundred and
forty-three; none are signed, but they are altogether in Tory's manner.
These same medallions, as well as the borders of the 'Thesaurus amicorum,'
have been used in a multitude of other publications, which are known to us
only through detached fragments. I will mention particularly eight leaves
preserved in the Cabinet des Estampes, printed on one side only, having
a border with a portrait on each page.[439] Also, four leaves without
borders, on each of which two portraits are printed, side by side.[440]
As for the borders, they appear again,--first, in the edition of Marot's
Psalms, published by Jean de Tournes in 1557, in octavo; and second, with
less impropriety, in the various editions, both in French and in Italian,
of Ovid's 'Metamorphoses,' issued by the same printer.
Jean de Tournes published also, in 1556, a small octavo volume of
specimens of his woodcuts, printed on one side only. This volume, which
is well known to collectors, and which may be found in the Cabinet
des Estampes, has on the first page these words alone: 'A Lion, Ian
de Tournes, M.D.LVI.'[441] This page has a border of white
arabesques on a black ground, in which the Lorraine cross is perfectly
visible, at the foot. There are 22 engravings representing scenes from the
theatre of the ancients.
The ninth bears the Lorraine cross. In the midst of this series, on leaf
21, is a piece which does not belong to the series; it represents a dog
lying on a cushion.[442] After this series come various engravings which
we find in Maurice de Seve's 'Saulsaye' (octavo, Lyon, 1547), in Ovid's
'Metamorphoses,' and the 'Hymnes du Temps' of Guillaume Gueroult, which
were printed subsequently; then 11 plates bearing two figures facing
each other, taken from a work on Chiromancy and Physiognomy, by Indagine
(octavo, Lyon, 1549); 5 engravings from the edition of Petrarch issued
by the first Jean in 1545; and 9 small miscellaneous subjects.[443] The
Cabinet des Estampes also contains one leaf of a folio specimen of the
woodcuts of the de Tournes, in which we find again the plates of the
Petrarch. It lacks, however, the Lac d'Amour, which is on folio 5 of the
collection we are describing, and is altogether in the manner of the seven
epitaphs published by Tory in 1530.[444]
I will not enumerate here the other books with engravings, of later date,
published by the second Jean de Tournes, because there is nothing to
justify me in attributing them to Tory's workshop; but one may conclude
from what I have said heretofore, that many engravings of the printers of
Lyon, hitherto attributed to Salomon Bernard, called Le Petit Bernard,
came from Tory's establishment. Indeed, we may well wish that Le Petit
Bernard might be relieved of the enormous mass of engravings which have
been attributed to him for lack of information concerning them, but which
render uncertain the attribution of those which most certainly belong to
him.[445]
Our list includes only engravings on wood; but I have no doubt that Tory
engraved also on metal, and not alone letters, which we should naturally
expect from Garamond's master, but plates as well. Now that the eyes of
collectors are about to be opened, I should not be surprised if some one
should discover one marked with his cross.[446] To forward such discovery
I will insert the estimate of Tory's draughtsmanship formed by M.
Renouvier, who is so competent a judge of such matters.
'The plates of "Champ fleury," the first of which is dated 1526, have
an Italian after-taste, which manifests itself by the correctness of
the figures, and by their costumes; but the delicacy of expression, the
fineness of line, distinguish them clearly from the Venetian vignettes.
The vignettes of the Hours published between 1524 and 1543, varying in
execution, always delicate and with little shading, exhibit a degree of
taste which the Parmesan School sometimes achieves; but by the delicacy
of their execution they deserve the praise bestowed upon them by Dibdin.
Even if the figures are slightly confused in their attitudes and in their
draperies, or defective at some of the extremities, still, the spirited
drawing of the heads, and the arrangement of the scenes, amid charming
architectural designs, or in very restricted fields, show that our
engravers of vignettes lost nothing of their talent in passing from gothic
to italic letters, and, despite the name of the latter, it is certain that
Italy never produced any like them. Simplicity took the place of Gothic
_goguenarderie_; their expression is in the most refined French sentiment
of the period.[447]
'I seem to recognize Geofroy Tory's style in the "Tableau de Cèbes,"
published by Denis Janot and Gilles Corrozet in 1543, the vignettes
of which are often attributed to Jean Cousin. As for Tory's drawing, I
should recognize it through several layers of wood, by the delicately
drawn heads, the slender figures, the split extremities, to say nothing
of the floriated letters and the borders, in which the Italian grotesques
are mingled with natural vegetations, and in which he has often engraved
his name, his Pot Cassé and his mottoes. In Tory's vignettes there are
doubtless qualities that are more subtle than great, but they are our
qualities.'
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 319: See Part 1, Biography, supra, p. 7.]
[Footnote 320: This plate was reproduced by MM. Alexis Socard and
Alexandre Assier in their work entitled: _Livres liturgiques du diocèse de
Troyes_, 8vo, 1863.]
[Footnote 321: See what I have to say on this subject in § III,
under the word 'Colines' (infra, p. 268).]
[Footnote 322: See what I have to say of this book in the _Bulletin du
Bouquiniste_, 1860, p. 101.]
[Footnote 323: If necessary, four workmen would have sufficed,--two
compositors and two pressmen--Lefèvre d'Etaples being abundantly able to
perform the duties of corrector.]
[Footnote 324: [An office-book formerly in use, containing the antiphones
called 'graduals,' as well as introits and other antiphones, etc., of
the mass. Also called the 'Cantatory' or 'Cantatorium.'--CENTURY
DICT.]]
[Footnote 325: Bibliothèque Nationale.]
[Footnote 326: Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal.]
[Footnote 327: An additional proof in confirmation of what I have already
said as to the unscrupulous way in which artists copied one another. (See
page 149 note 1.)]
[Footnote 328: This design is based upon a legend concerning Virgil, which
had some vogue in the Middle Ages]
[Footnote 329: See pp. 101-129, supra.]
[Footnote 330: _Revue universelle des Arts_, September, 1857 (vol. v, no.
6, p. 513).]
[Footnote 331:
In his game-bag we see that he hath rats,
Which are detestable, and gnawing vermin
Making shocking wounds in his vitals.
From his breast cometh a keen, darting flame,
Which burneth heart and lips and body.
]
[Footnote 332: In an imperfect copy of this book, on parchment, which I
have seen at the shop of M. Potier, and which is illuminated, the artist
has erased Tory's mark, for what purpose I have no idea.]
[Footnote 333: It seems that the Parliament proposed at first to prohibit
the publication of this book; but evidently it did not persist in its
opposition, for, besides the four quarto editions, I have seen four others
in octavo, which, however, are without interest for us. See Brunet's
_Manuel du Libraire_, under 'Gringoire.']
[Footnote 334: This deplorable practice of removing the text from
engravings, which was once rigourously followed in the Cabinet des
Estampes at the Bibliothèque Nationale, injured the collection materially.
There are many pieces of which neither the origin nor the meaning is
known, because of the removal of the legends which formerly accompanied
them.]
[Footnote 335: _Number_ 3.
Hell he defies (to him no arduous task),
And the dog Cerberus, him with the three heads;
He seeks the infernal regions, fighting hand to hand,
To set at liberty Theseus his good friend.
_Number_ 9.
The raging bulls (most marvellous to see)
With his two sinewy hands he masters easily,
Compels them by main force to bend the knee,
Albeit they were deemed unconquerable.
_Number_ 10.
A boar with frothing lips and long sharp tusks,
Who, in his rage, despoiled men, fields and vineyards,
And by whom the whole world was ravaged,
He, by his courage, all alone, did slay.
]
[Footnote 336: On March 4, 1858, at the Lassus sale, I saw a complete set
of the Labours of Hercules, without the verses.]
[Footnote 337: The earliest book in which I have seen it, excluding the
_Thesaurus latinæ linguæ_ of 1536, and the _Dictionarium Latino-Gallicum_
of 1538, which was a sequel to the first, and in which it was necessarily
used (I saw these two books at M. Didot's), is a quarto pamphlet,
published in 1537, on the occasion of the discussions between François I
and Charles V, entitled: _Exemplaria litterarum_, etc.]
[Footnote 338: Later, Estienne had other floriated letters engraved at
Tory's establishment, carried on by his widow. But the G was not then
chosen to receive the artist's mark. See infra, under 1551.]
[Footnote 339: [These letters and friezes appear in the Works of Justin
Martyr printed by Estienne in 1541, from which they are reproduced for
this volume--some of the letters on pp. 190 and 191, and the friezes at
the beginning of the Printers' Preface, and of the three sections of the
Iconography.]]
[Footnote 340: Papillon, who saw Woeiriot everywhere, says on page 509 of
the additions to his first volume: '_Champ fleury_ is filled with woodcuts
by Woeiriot,--among others several capital letters with nude human figures
for their limbs, and several vignettes about three inches by two and a
half, simply in outline, with the cross of Lorraine in every corner.' As
a matter of fact there are very few Lorraine crosses on the engravings of
_Champ fleury_.]
[Footnote 341: [Reproduced on the title-page of the present volume.]]
[Footnote 342: [See supra, p. 45, no. 4.]]
[Footnote 343: [See supra, p. 100.]]
[Footnote 344: See supra, p. 1. Neither this engraving nor those last
mentioned are found in the octavo edition of _Champ fleury_.]
[Footnote 345: See the reproduction of this cut on p. 141, supra.]
[Footnote 346: In the octavo edition it was found to be impossible to have
the two parts face each other, so that Apollo's chariot is cut in two.]
[Footnote 347: [Reproduced on pp. 50 and 51 supra.]]
[Footnote 348: [Reproduced on p. 48, supra.]]
[Footnote 349: This cut does not appear in the octavo edition. It is
reproduced on p. 21, supra [where it is said to be on 43 recto].]
[Footnote 350: [One of these is reproduced on this page.]]
[Footnote 351: [Reproduced on p. 152, supra.]]
[Footnote 352: [Reproduced on the following page.]]
[Footnote 353: These letters do not appear in the octavo edition.
[Reproduced on p. 195, infra.]]
[Footnote 354: This alphabet, which Tory used in several of the books
printed by him, as I have already stated, was replaced by a different one
in the octavo edition of _Champ fleury_.]
[Footnote 355: Not in the octavo edition. [Reproduced on p. 49, supra.]]
[Footnote 356: [See supra, pp. 120-122].]
[Footnote 357: [See supra, pp. 122-124].]
[Footnote 358: _Lutetiæ, sumptibus Ægidii Gormontii, studio Joannis
Cheradami, labore et industria Petri Vidovœi._]
[Footnote 359: This engraving was used later as a model for a magnificent
plate placed at the beginning of the _Tableaux des arts libéraux de
Christophe de Savigny_, published in 1587, in folio, by Jean and François
de Gourmont, sons of Gilles. See my _Les Estienne_, p. 63, note.]
[Footnote 360: For the family of Gourmont, see my _Les Estienne_, pp. 62
and 63, notes.]
[Footnote 361: Not all of the engravings are signed; but, as I have not
been able to inspect the volume, which was a part of the Boorluut library
of Noortdonck, sold at Ghent in April, 1858, I am obliged to resort to
the words of the compiler of the catalogue of that sale, my confrère M.
Vander-Meersch, who has kindly furnished me since with some more detailed
information (albeit less complete than I could have wished), after the
volume was sent to England. M. Boorluut had paid 1 franc 50 centimes for
the volume, which was sold to a London bookseller, Mr. Toovey, on April
19, 1858, for 270 francs. I wrote to him asking for details concerning it;
but, in accordance with the not over-courteous English custom, he did not
choose to tell me for whom he had purchased the book, so that I have been
unable to obtain more ample information.]
[Footnote 362: I am not informed whether these cuts appear in _Hore Marie
Virginis ad usum Sarum_, 1532, or in _The Prymer of Salisbury_, 1534, both
of which were printed at the same establishment.]
[Footnote 363: [See p. 125, supra].]
[Footnote 364: See what I have heretofore said of this book, pp. 85-87
supra.]
[Footnote 365: [See pp. 126-128, supra].]
[Footnote 366: See what I have had to say of this book, pp. 128-129,
supra; also, p. 218, infra, under the Hours of 1541, where we find these
same borders, called 'à la moderne,' together with the plates of the Hours
of 1529, described on p. 125, supra; which leads me to think that these
same plates appeared in the octavo edition now under consideration. See
also no. 1 of the year 1536 (p. 208, infra), which is a sort of
link between the editions of 1531 and 1541.]
[Footnote 367: [See p. 136, supra.]]
[Footnote 368: _Revue Universelle des Arts_, Sept. 1857 (vol. v, no. 3, p.
517).]
[Footnote 369: I saw this volume at M. Potier's book-shop in 1865; it is
a 16mo, illustrated with a large number of fascinating engravings which
would assuredly do much honour to Tory. I freely admit that François
Gryphe was a pupil of our artist, but that is all. I do not understand why
M. Renouvier attributes to Tory a small plate of no interest, when the
privileges expressly attribute all the engravings to Gryphe.]
[Footnote 370: Brunet, _Manuel du Libraire_, 5th edition, vol. v, col.
1660, no. 328. The line engravings are doubtless those of the 16mo Hours
of 1529 (see p. 125 supra). As for the borders, which M. Brunet does not
mention, I imagine that they are the same that I spoke of on p. 128. But
see no. III, under the year 1541 (infra, p. 218).]
[Footnote 371: _Thesaurus antiquitatum romanarum_, etc., a J. C. Grævio;
folio, Utrecht, 1697. M. Olivier Barbier, sub-manager of the Bibliothèque
Nationale, owns the copy of the original edition which was used for this
reprint. It contains not only the additions that were made, but also
directions, in Dutch, concerning the size of the copper-plates, etc.]
[Footnote 372: See vol. vi, col. 562.]
[Footnote 373: Another edition of this book was published by the same
printers and with the same woodcuts, in 1545.]
[Footnote 374: Sometimes, too, the colourist has substituted for the
printed date that at which he did his work. I have seen several cases of
such substitution.]
[Footnote 375: Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal.]
[Footnote 376: See pp. 149 and 205, supra.]
[Footnote 377: The title-page of this rare volume reads: _Missale ecclesie
Parisiensis denuo ab aliquot ejusdem ecclesie canonicis ac doctoribus
theologis ad id a reverendiss. do. Joan. de Bellayo ... delegatis...._
Then follows Merlin's mark, signed with the Lorraine cross. In addition
to 8 preliminary leaves this volume contains: _Calendarium temporale_,
signatures _a_ to _v_; _Sanctorale_, A to M; _Commun._, A to E, gothic;
etc. The first page of the text is in a border which has the Eternal
Father at the top, four popes at the sides, and at the foot the mark of
the widow Iolande Bonhomme, with the unicorns. The volume was probably
published about 1540.]
[Footnote 378: See p. 204, supra. A copy of this frieze--a slavish
imitation--in which even the Lorraine cross is reproduced, appears in a
Flemish Bible, folio, printed at Antwerp in 1556 (Bibliothèque Nationale).]
[Footnote 379: _Annales des Estienne_, 3d edition, p. 49.]
[Footnote 380: The cross is not very distinct on the copies of 1540,
but, strangely enough, it is perfectly clear on those of 1546.--These
engravings, like the frieze on the title-page, have been copied by other
printers. Such copies may be found in a Bible published at Lyon in 1550,
by Sébastien Honorat, and in another published in 1554 by Jean de Tournes.
We find them also in a Bible published at Paris in 1586 by Sébastien
Nivelle and Gabriel Buon, etc., etc.]
[Footnote 381: See concerning this book, the _Revue des Sociétés
Savantes_, vol. v, pp. 624 ff. The author's name was Milles. Some
information concerning him is given in the _Revue_.]
[Footnote 382: [See p. 229, infra].]
[Footnote 383: I have seen it bound with a book of Hours published by
Kerver in 1556: M. Portalis's copy.]
[Footnote 384: It has since been sold at auction.]