BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF EMBLEMS IN FOLIO BY THE FAMOUS DUTCH POET JACOB CATS and with 286 amazing plates engraved by the Dutch painter Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne (1589-1662) and other dutch engravers. The beautiful emblems depict moral scenes, esotericism, magic, spells, occultism, prophecies, memento mori, comedy, teachings on nature and the destiny of man. There are 10 almost full-page illustrations (H 395 x W 250 mm) and the other 276 illustrations have dimensions of approximately H 128 x W 132 mm. All illustrations are well engraved with intact margins, with great contrast and definition, one of the best productions of Dutch illustrators of the 17th century. Text in Dutch and Latin and sometimes in Italian, French, Spanish... The volume opens with two large full-page portraits of Jacob Cats (1577-1660) and then continues with dozens of emblems depicting life in the Low Countries in the 17th century, the existential dramas of man and biblical scenes. There is a beautiful allegory with landscape depicting the city of Dordrecht, in South Holland. The dating of the illustrations varies from 1620 to 1650. This volume was published in 1700, the work collects all the major works of CATS and was published in two volumes, this is only the first volume with 666 pages, includes 13 CATS works as per index and it is complete. This edition contains the same plates as in the first edition of Cats's collected works (Amsterdam 1655): including the portrait of the author engraved by Michael Natalis after a work by Pieter Dubordieu. Beautiful work with an impressive series of emblemata with fine detailed illustrations drawn with great skill. References: L.J. Bol (1989), Adriaen Pietersz. van de Venne: painter and draughtsman; J. Bos and J.A. Gruys, Cats Catalogus (1996), 6; Hollstein 348-418 (van de Venne); Hollstein / Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts c.1450-1700 (many prints of van de Venne); Emblem books collection in Leiden 142, A.S.Q. Visser, P.G. Hoftijzer, B. Westerweel (eds.) 1999; A. Adams, S. Rawles and A. Saunders, A Bibliography Of French Emblem Books of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (1999), no. F. 171, p. 324-6; J. Cats, Sinne-en minnebeelden Studie-uitgave met inleidung...door Hans Luijten (1996); Muller 1863-1882 / De Nederlandsche Geschiedenis in Platen. Beredeneerde Beschrijving van Nederlandsche Historieplaten (1922). Title: "Alle de Wercken, soo Oude als Nieuwe, van den Heer Jacob Cats, Ridder, oudt Raadtpensionaris van Hollandt, &c..." (All the works, both old and new, of Mr. Jacob Cats, Knight, former Board Pensionary of Holland). Published in Amsterdam by Daniel van den Dalen, François Halma, De Wed van A. van Someren and in Utrecht by Wilhem Vande Water, 1700. Description: in Folio size H 410 x 270 mm or 16.2 by 10.7 inches. Pages [28], 666 [i.e. 658], [10], and with 286 engraved plates, some full page or half page, numerous errors in numbering, without losses. Text printed well, pages are clean with original and wide margins, traces of water stains scattered in about 20 pages. Marginal tear in 3-4 pages but without loss of text or illustration. Original full leather binding with titles and floral decorations embossed in gold on the spine compartments. Traces of wear on the edges, corners and plates, defects along the hinges, but solid and functioning binding. The engraving work, of great finesse, shows great detail in the illustrations and excellent contrast and sharpness. BEAUTIFUL BOOK WITH 286 ILLUSTRATIONS. Author: Jacob Cats (1577-1660) was a Dutch poet, humorist, jurist and politician. He is most famous for his emblem books. In 1621, he was made pensionary (stipendiary magistrate) of Middelburg; and two years afterwards of Dordrecht. In 1627 Cats came to England on a mission to Charles I, who made him a knight. He became famous in his own lifetime from his moralistic Emblem books, for which Adrian van der Venne cut the plates. Illustrator: Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne (1589-1662), was a versatile Dutch Golden Age painter of allegories, genre subjects, and portraits, as well as a miniaturist, book illustrator, designer of political satires, and versifier. From 1620 until his death van de Venne made many grisailles and engravings of genre subjects, featuring peasants, beggars, thieves and fools as illustrations of current proverbs and sayings, mostly by Jacob Cats. This work made him famous during his lifetime, and remained popular throughout the 18th century after his death. Shipping: via UPS, protected, INSURED and fully tracked package. Estimated time for Europe 3-5 working days. Shipping within one working day. You can combine shipping if you purchases several items from us, saving money and time.