Frans Vervoort / Albrecht Dürer / Pieter van der Borcht / Anton Woensam von Worms - Dye woestijne des Heere, leerende hoe een goet kersten mensch - 1554

BEAUTIFUL RARE EDITION by Frans VERVOORT (1490-1555) and illustrated with 30 mostly full-page woodcuts and many large initials with vignettes; 5 woodcuts are by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), and dozens of woodcuts are by Pieter van der Borcht the Elder (1530-1608) and Anton Woensam von Worms (1495-1541). The book is a devotional typical of that period, written by the Franciscan VERVOORT, an ascetic and mystic and a native of Mechelen. "One of the greatest religious lyrists" (Schmitz) and generally said to be "the greatest follower of John of Ruusbroec or Ruysbroeck (1293-1381) in the 16th century". The text in Gothic font and the dozens of illustrations are richly inked and illustrate VERVOORT's text in great detail. The 5 woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer are the following: The Crucifixion; The Carrying of the Cross; Lamentation; Christ Appearing to His Mother; The Last Judgment. The illustrations by Pieter van der Borcht the Elder and Anton Woensam von Worms are also of a very good standard and like those by Dürer are signed with their logo and initials, some woodcuts are repeated.

Description: in 4to size Height 205 x Width 142 mm or 8.1 by 5.6 inches. 256 sheets, A-Z4 A-Z4 Aa-Ss4. Good, well-preserved copy. Solid and perfectly functioning binding, in speckled calf, intact brass clasp, gilded spine with floral edges and title, polychrome speckled edges, boards with traces of wear and scratches. Minor worm damage to lower edge of engraved title and margin of last leaf. Title printed in red and black, text and illustrations well printed, paper clean and in good condition, rare traces of stains and foxing as per photo. The illustrations are well engraved with intact margins, with great contrast and definition. Publisher mark-printer of Jan van Ghelen at the end of the book. Rare second edition.

Title: "Dye woestijne des Heere, leere[n]de hoe een goet kersten mensch, Christu[m], dlicht der waerheyt ende ald..." (The deserts of the Lord, taught how a good Christian man, Christ, shines the truth Forever). Published in Antwerp by Ian van Ghelen, MCCCCCLIIII [1554] as per colophon. Text in Flemish, Dutch and sometimes in Latin.

Bibliography and References: Cockx-Indestege, E. Belgica typographica 4743; STCV 7038181; De Troeyer, Bio-bibliographia Franciscana Neerlandica 658; Machiels, J. Catalogus van de boeken gedrukt vóór 1600, V 222; Benjamin De Troeyer, "Vervoort (François)", in: Dictionnaire de spiritualité, vol. 16, 1994, kol. 506-509; Prosper Verheyden, "Frans Vervoort, Minderbroeders, gest. 1555, Werken, Uitgevers", in: Handelingen van den Mechelschen Kring voor Oudheidkunde, 1925, p. 51-114 en 1927, p. 17-52; Iconographie de l'art chrétien (L. Réau), 1955-1959, II, 2, p. 425 e.v.

Author: Frans VERVOORT (1490-1555) was a Franciscan from Mechelen who made slightly edited compilations of pious texts. These ascetic-mystical writings were anonymous and widely distributed. Some spiritual works have only been handed down through VERVOORT's love of copying, was also proficient in Latin, Hebrew, Aramaic, Dutch and German. In Mechelen, VERVOORT published dozens of books, treatises and sermons. He often limited himself to selecting pious texts from the past two centuries in the light of what would appeal to his contemporaries.

Printer/Publisher: Jan van Ghelen, the founder of a family of printers of that name, is mentioned as a “boeck-prenter” (book printer) as early as 1517. The first book of his to have survived, however, dates from 1519, by which time he had a business in the Begijnenstraat in the house called Mathusalem. He was to live there until his death in 1550. He bought his equipment and materials, at least in part, from Henrick Eckert van Homberch; early in 1549 he sold his entire workshop to his son Jan van Ghelen II. The relatively few works which he printed were evidently intended for the man in the street, and consist almost exclusively of Dutch vernacular religious works.

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