First edition of a poetic commentary on the Bible with 70 beautiful full-page engraved illustrations, bound in a splendid early fanfare binding. The present copy was owned in succession by famous book collectors Edouard Rahir (1862-1924), Edmée Maus (1905-1971), and Michel Wittock (1936-2020), and has been included in several reference works as a fine example of 16th-century French bookbinding. The finisher has also worked for collectors Jean Grolier (ca. 1489-1565) and Thomas Mahieu (ca. 1520-1590). The present binding is likely one of the very last by his hand.
Humanae salutis monumenta was written by the Spanish theologian Benito, or Benedictus, Arias Montano (1527-1598). He moved to Antwerp during the Dutch Revolt, where he worked as an editor for the famous Plantin Polyglot Bible, which was published in five languages. Apart from this monumental scholarly work, Arias published the present well-known, magnificently illustrated emblem book. The work contains 70 poems that each explain a person or event from the Bible, and are accompanied by 70 illustrations, which were also designed by the author. It was the first work published in the Low Countries with such a large number of copper engravings. According to Sorgeloos, "the richness of the illustrations... is eminently representative of the Catholic imagery and religious propaganda of the Counter-Reformation."
The publication history of the work is complicated. Editions were printed in 1571, 1581, and 1583, but several different issues of each are known. As they typically all have the same title page, it can be difficult to identify them. However, the illustrations in the first edition have an engraved border with plants and animals, which issues of later editions often lack. In addition, the portrait of Christ at the start of the work typically looks to the left in earlier issues, and to the right in later issues. The present copy, however, is unusual, as it has the engraved borders, but also a portrait of Christ looking to the right. We have not been able to find another issue with this variation. The present issue possibly predates the first issue identified by Voets, as the illustration on C5r is dated 1570, which is not the case in other issues, and it does not yet include the second part of the work, the Annotationes, which was printed five months later.
Fanfare bindings were produced in France and England from the late 16th to the early 17th century. They are characterised by a large central ornament, surrounded by a complex gold-tooled decoration consisting of small stamps, which fully cover both boards, and multiple compartments of different shapes and sizes, which are delineated by one single and one double fillet. The ornamentation typically includes foliage. The binder and finisher of the present binding are not known by name, but were among the earliest adopters of the fanfare style. Many of the present tools have also been used on other bindings, such as a copy of the Mémoires by Martin du Bellay, dating to the same year. Since these tools have not been found on bindings produced after 1571, the finisher likely stopped working around that time. The present binding must therefore have been made in 1571.
With the bookplates of Edouard Rahir, Edmée Maus, and Michel Wittock mounted on the front pastedown, below an annotation from the Parisian priest Joannis Baptista de Pianne, dated 20 October 1668. The edges and corners of the boards are lightly scuffed, the front joint is somewhat weakened, and the back joint has been professionally restored at the foot. The work is slightly browned throughout, with occasional small stains, a repaired tear on leaf [18]. Otherwise in fine condition. Christie's London, The Michel Wittock collection part 1, p. 23; Foot, Davis Gift I, p. 169; Hobson, Fanfare, no. 76; Hobson/ Culot 59; cf. Landwehr, Emblem books, 43 (other issue); Sorgeloos, Labore et constantia, 111 (other edition); STCV 12927514 (other issue); USTC 401487 (other issue); Voet 588 (other issue).