Collection of 17 rare small engravings.

17 small engravings and 2 small woodcuts mounted in 8vo album, ca. 3 x 3 cm, some contemp. hand-coloured.

In very good condition.

An exceptional collection of rare and possibly unique small prints, overall illustrated capital letters with the following scenes: the Crucifixion, the Holy Lamb, Christ with Mary and Anne, Virgin and Child, the flagellation of Christ, the Man of Sorrows, the Crucifixion, Christ with the Arma Christi, Salvator Mundi, St Catherine, and St Paul. With Latin ms. text on verso (indicating that they are cut-outs from the same manuscript!). It is known that in some convents of the Low Countries nuns made these small religious engravings, used to illustrate manuscripts. It was the transition period between painted minature and the dawn of printed images. The time-consuming and expensive hand-made illustrations were sometimes replaced by printed vignettes such as these.
Ref. Exceptionally rare. None mentioned in Lehrs or Schreiber.
Joined: 1. Pleginck, Martin - Various animals in a landscape; including a basilisk, a snake, a salamander and a lynx. From a series of eight engravings entitled "Das New Thierbüchlein" and published by Stephan Hermann in 1594. Reverse copy. Engraving, 4,6 x 6,3 cm, laid paper, unsigned. Ref. German Hollstein 45.2.-- 2. Anonymous. After Hieronymus Wierix - The Holy Virgin on the cross. Ca. 1590-1630. Engraving, 9 x 7 cm, laid paper, unsigned (brown stain). Ref. Not in Hollstein. (21 pcs)