Paul (1577-1640) Pompa Introitus Ferdinandi. Antwerp: Gaspar Gevaerts, 1635-1641.
Collection of the principal plates reproducing the architecture and ephemeral paintings designed by Rubens for the entrance of Ferdinand II of Austria to Antwerp on 17 April 1635 and engraved by his pupil Van Thulden under his supervision. The work, printed in 1642, took over seven years to publish,and is considered one of the best fète books of the 17th century as well as one of the few volumes illustrated by Rubens. The title-page corresponds to what Arents refers to as the first version with the imprint veneunt exemplaria apud before venduntur apud and the title Pompa introitus honori Ferdinandi, while the numbering of the plates is sometimes altered, though keeping the reference to the text pages; it is therefore unclear whether this is a collection that was published separately or a set of plates extracted from the work. Reference: Prosper Arents, 'Pompa introitus Ferdinandi: bijdrage tot de Rubensbibliografie', in: De Gulden Passer, 27 (1949), pp. 81-340-Folio, (550 x 430mm). Engraved title-page, 38 plates, many of which folding (Collection of plates, missing: text, portrait of Ferdinand II, 3 plates (38, 40, 41: the fireworks display and two paintings) while the plates usually present as 39, 42 and 43 are here numbered and in position as 37et38, 2 and [1] (title-page reinforced at the corners with small wormtrack and browning, light browning to the rest of the plates). Early 20th century binding with cloth spine. Provenance: short descriptive note in early 20th century typed Russian applied to endpaper. (1)