Engraved Throughout
[MAZOT, François.]
Le tableau de la croix representé dans les ceremonies de la Ste Messe ensemble le tresor de la devotion aux soufrances de Nre S. I. C. le tout enrichi de belles figures. Paris, François Mazot, 1651 (colophon: 20 September 1653).
Small 4to, ff. [52] (pp. [5], ff. 1–35, pp. 36–39, [25]); the first leaf comprising 2 leaves pasted together, one leaf bound out of place; text and illustrations engraved throughout; tears (without loss) to outer margin of first leaf, small loss to one corner, some finger staining; overall a good copy in contemporary red morocco, gilt border to covers incorporating repeated crowned dolphin and crowned fleur-de-lys tools, spine gilt in compartments, all edges gilt, marbled pastedowns; upper joint split at head, some wear to extremities and small abrasions to covers; early ownership inscriptions of ‘A Barbet’ and ‘Ignazio Ughetto’ to front free endpaper.
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Le tableau de la croix representé dans les ceremonies de la Ste Messe ensemble le tresor de la devotion aux soufrances de Nre S. I. C. le tout enrichi de belles figures.
A remarkable, entirely engraved devotional manual by François Mazot, in contemporary red morocco.
The main body of the work comprises two distinct series of facing engravings. To the versos we have a scene from Christ’s Passion at the head with a corresponding scene from the celebration of Mass below, running from Christ approaching Gethsemane and the Pope approaching the altar, to Pentecost and a priest giving the benediction. A variant exists showing a priest rather than a Pope on the first plate.
To the facing rectos, engraved by Jean Colin, we have a series of Latin and French prayers to various male and female saints, two of whom are depicted per page, from St Gabriel to St Columba. The latter were much admired by Duportal, who makes the following interesting point: ‘in both series are represented the different stages of the Passion, with this curious difference, that it is the Thomist interpretation of the 13th century which is given on the recto and the Franciscan interpretation of the 15th century to the verso: so one finds, on p. 7, Christ placed on the cross with the aid of a ladder, while he is crucified on the ground on p. 20’ (trans.).
The remainder of the volume comprises litanies, prayers, and the Penitential Psalms, within historiated borders, with full-page portraits of Jesus, Mary, and King David.
The attractive binding might suggest a connection with a Dauphin or Dauphine of the French royal family.
USTC 6056034. See Jeanne Duportal, Étude sur les livres à figures édités en France de 1601 à 1660 (Paris, 1914), pp. 244–245.