Unique combination of two early 18th-c. Dutch Lutheran Bibles. One illustrated by Romeyn de Hooghe; both in a magnificent dazzling, gold-heightened colouring attributable to Dirk Jansz. van Santen, "Meester Afsetter".

Folio (the 1702 Bible slightly browned in places, clear water stain at top margin of the 1st third of the vol.).

Fine contemp. binding, blind-st. calf over wooden boards, spine with raised bands, brass cornerpieces, clasps and clamps.

A unique combination of 2 Lutheran Bibles, interleaved one into the other, being:
1. Biblia, Dat is de gantsche H. Schriftuure vervattende alle de Boeken des Ouden ende Nieuwen Testaments. Nu van nieuws uyt D.M. Luthers Hoogduitse Bybel in onze Nederlandsche Taale getrouwelyk overgezet, tot dienst van de Christelyke Gemeynten, d'Onveranderde Augsburgsche Confessie toegedaan in deeze Nederlanden. Amsterdam, Jacob Lindenberg, Op 't Rokkin, [1701-] 1702.
The Lutheran Bible as translated by Visscher (1st 1648), here republished by Lindenberg; first authorized but finally rejected by the Protestant authorities.
Ref. Poortman I: 140-142. - Not in Darlow & Moule.
2. Alle de Voornaamste Historien des Ouden en Nieuwen Testaments. Verbeeld in uytsteekende Konst-Platen, door [...] Romeyn de Hooge. Met omstandige verklaring der Stoffen, en seer beknopte Punt-Digten, van den Eerw. Godsgel. Heer Henricus Vos. Waar by ook gevoegt zyn Nieuwe Kaarten, tot opheldering der zaaken nodig. Amsterdam, Jacob Lindenberg, Op 't Rokkin, 1703.
This edition, illustrated by Romeyn de Hooghe, is also called "the Printbible of Henricus Vos".
Ref. Poortman II:109-111. - Landwehr 100 - Not in Darlow & Moule.
Contains in all: 3 engraved title-pages, the combined portrait medallions of Luther, Visscher and Vos, 5 folding maps amongst which a bird's eye view of Jerusalem, and 139 half-page engravings depicting c. 800 scenes from the Old and the New Testament, all brilliantly coloured or rather painted, and heightened with gold, as well as the numerous vignettes, head- and tailpieces, initials and other typographical ornaments, the whole by the hand of a master colourist, most probably Dirk Jansz. van Santen (c. 1637/38-1708). Even the titles above the half-page engravings and of the maps are heightened with gold.
Our most beautiful Bible shows all the elements of van Santen's style as there are: the gold and red outlining of the engravings, vivid colours in combination with the lavish use of gold, the suggestion of perspective or depth by delicate use of the chromatic spectrum, etc.
Prof. Herman de la Fontaine Verwey (1903-1989), librarian of the Amsterdam University Library and bookhistorian, who studied the work of van Santen and published about it, after examining our copy, concluded that the painting undoubtedly is the work of, as he called him, "our master Dirk Jansz. van Santen" (his oral communication to the present owner on February 11th, 1982).
In 17th-c. Amsterdam, Dirk Jansz. van Santen was famous for his work on portraits, biblical or historical prints and maps, but also for colouring complete Bibles and atlases as in the collections of wealthy patricians like Nicolaas Witsen, Willem van Beest, Jacob Cromhout and the orientalist Hadrianus Relandus. But without any doubt his major achievement is the very prestigious, unique set of enlarged Blaeu atlases assembled for Laurens van der Hem (now in the ÖNB, Vienna).
The latest known production by van Santen, who died in 1708, is "De Nieuwe Zee Atlas" by van Loon (1661) which he signed and dated 1706, a few years after the printing and assembling of our two Bibles into one magnificent and prestigious volume.
Ref. Goedings, T. - "Afsetters en Meester-afsetters". De kunst van het kleuren 1480-1720. Nijmegen, 2015, pp. 111-149. - Fontaine Verwey, H. de la.- Uit de wereld van het Boek III, Amsteram, 1979, pp. 205-207. - Gnirrep, K., Offenberg, A. & den Hollander, A. - De Weergaloze Van Santen. Amsterdam, 2000, pp. 5-20.
Prov. From a Haarlem patrician family, since 1980 to the present private Dutch owner.