Old & rare Book of Hours'Hortulus animae', 1594 with illustrated calendar

  

Well-known Book of Hours and Prayer-book dating from the end of the 15th century and spread in the 16th and 17th centuries both in our country and in most countries of Western Europe. With a beautiful engraved 12 page calendar and 43 woodcuts of Saints & Biblical scenes in text! Damianus vanden Houtte - Hortulus animae, ('Little Garden of the Soul','Seelengärtlein','Jardin des âmes') 1594 - with illustrated calendar. Dat is, der sielen bogaert, met sonderlinge neersticheyt vernieut ende vermeerdert, overgheset wt den hoochduytsch in onse nederlantsche tale.

(14 cm x 9 cm), Date is mentioned in colophon - Text in red & black. Condition: Bound without covers, title page missing, else complete. 2 leaves missing small part of corner, with some loss of text. One leaf with a small tear in the margin.

First leaves slightly frayed and darkened upper part. Else solid, compact, interior fresh & clean.

In very acceptable antiquarian condition. Richly illustrated with Calendar with 12 small woodcuts of the months with the labors of that period and 43 woodcut text illustrations, 4 of which signed with the monogram HCvS, probably referring to'Hans Christoffel van Sichem'.

The hortulus animae ('little garden of the soul') was a popular prayer book, both in Latin and other languages in the sixteenth century. The first known edition was printed at Strasburg by William Schaffener of Rappeltsweiler in 1498. After that year new editions with various supplements and modifications were constantly issued by other printers. The present Dutch adaptation was made by the Belgian dominican author Damianus van den Houte? - after 1577, and originally published in 1552.

The popularity of this Dutch version is shown by the number of editions that followed, many of which were printed in Antwerp. In 1584 an edition appeared with woodcuts by Arnold Nicolai, which were used again in subsequent editions.

This item is in the category "Books & Magazines\Antiquarian & Collectible". The seller is "tradetraveler65" and is located in this country: NL.

• Year Printed: 1596
• Country/Region of Manufacture: Belgium
• Topic: Book of hours
• Binding: No covers
• Region: Europe
• Illustrator: van Sichem
• Subject: Religion & Spirituality
• Original/Facsimile: Original
• Language: Dutch
• Publisher: Jacobi Mesens
• Place of Publication: Antwerp
• Special Attributes: 1st Edition, Illuminated, Illustrated