Beschreibung:

RUBENS, Peter Paul (1577-1640) – GEVARTIUS, Casparius Pompa introitus Honori Serenissimi Principis Ferdinandi Austriaci Hispaniarum infantis S.R.E. Card. Belgarum et Burgundionum gubernatoris etc… Antwerp: Joannes Meursius, [colophon 1642]. First edition of the only book entirely illustrated by Rubens, a spectacular commemoration of the entry of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria to Antwerp on 17 April 1635. Published in 1642, seven years after the event, and a year after Ferdinand's death, this famous ceremonial book is illustrated with etchings by van Thulden after Rubens that include representations of the architecture and ephemeral paintings designed for the occasion by Rubens, the fireworks display, and a large map of the city of Antwerp. ‘Rubens' designs brought a new vigour to the trappings of a joyous entry and set a standard against which all future such occasions in Europe were measured [...]. The Pompa introitus Ferdinandi stands today, as it did then, as one of the primary examples of a major artist working as a festival designer. And the book which commemorates the event is perhaps the most famous and magnificent of all fête books’ (Festivities: Ceremonies and Celebrations in Western Europe 1500-1790, Brown University, no. 43). Intriguingly, although the ownership inscription would indicate that Albert Rubens (1614-1657), son of Peter Paul might have owned this book, and is seemingly confirmed by book's entry in Albert's post-mortem inventory, Albert is not known to have had a middle name, and the hand is slightly too late in date. The last known male descendant of the painter was called Alexander Joseph Rubens (d.1757), but hand looks slightly too early to confirm this provenance. With Rubens being a fairly common surname, we are left to conclude that the owner was a namesake of the painter's family. Funck pp.257, 317-8. Broadsheets (554 x 395mm). Engraved architectonic title in state ‘a’ i.e. without ‘Triumphalis’ after ‘Pompa’, and with the date of 1642 in the colophon, 43 numbered plates, plates 17, 18 and 19 and plates 20, 21 and 22 joined together to form two large folding plates (front flyleaf and half-title with minor repairs at top corner and lower margin, some light creasing and tiny marginal wormhole, a few plates trimmed at head close to, or just into image including pls 6, 12, 14, 28, 30, 37 and 43, pl. 26 trimmed just into image at foot, pl. 16 Porticus Caesareo-Austriaca browned, and with 70mm repaired tear without loss, pl. 33 Mercurius Abituriens strengthened at fore-edge, pls. 7 and 8 bound in reverse order, some occasional light browning affecting a few plates). Contemporary Dutch vellum with central gilt arabesque (endpapers renewed, some light soiling and rubbing to extremities). Provenance: A.I. [or J.] Rubens (ink ownership inscription in a late 17th-century hand on front flyleaf).