Vindesor in Engellandt [Windsor]

Method Copper engraving
Artist Daniel Meisner
Published [Nuremberg: Paulus Furst, 1638-78]
Dimensions Image 67 x 141 mm, Plate 95 x 147 mm, Sheet 144 x 187 mm
Notes A view of Windsor Castle, with two figures to the left foreground. From Daniel Meisner's Sciographia Cosmica, with verses inscribed in Latin and German below.

Inscription above image reads: Propria laus sordet [Despise the praise of his own]. Inscribed beneath image are verses warning that self-praise is not thought of highly, and will earn neither glory nor virtue; 'Propria laus sordet: Quare q pollet honore, ipsus ad astra poli ne sua facta vehat, Eigen lob, sagt man, stincketgern, und gilt nicht viel bey grossen herrn: Drumb hastu eine that gethan, dein cugend selst dich ruhmen kann.'

Meisner's emblem book, containing over 800 pictorial-poetic compositions, was enormously popular throughout Europe in the 17th century. The plan views were based on the work of De Bry, Braun & Hogenberg, Merian and others with the addition of emblematic figures or scenes in the foreground, juxtaposed with moralising and edifying verses beneath the image and a Latin motto at top. It was originally issued with 52 plates as the Thesaurus philo-politicus in 1623-24. After Meisner's death in 1625, Eberhard Kieser, with assistance from Johann L. Gottfried, completed the work and published it until 1631. The plates then appeared in the eight parts of Sciographia Cosmica published by Paulus Furst between 1638-78. The plates for these editions were renumbered alpha-numerically in the upper right corners - A-H (identifying the 8 parts) and 1-100 (plate number). They were finally issued in 1700 and 1704 in Rudolf J. Helmer's Politica-politica.

Condition: Foxing to sheet.
Framing unmounted
Price £200.00
Stock ID 48739

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