Jan Luiken - Afbeeldingen der merkwaardigste Geschiedenissen van het Oude en Nieuwe Testament. In het koper geëtst [...]

Jean Covens & Corneille Mortier - Afbeeldingen der merkwaardigste Geschiedenissen van het Oude en Nieuwe Testament. In het koper geëtst Door den vermaarden en kunstryken Jan Luiken, en met nieuwe en leerzame Beschryvingen opgeheldert - Te Amsterdam - By Joh. Covens en Corn. Mortier - MDCCXXIX [= 1729] - 2nd edition - Cloth binding - 27 x 41 cm.

Condition: Good - COMPLETE with all maps and plates (some with stains/damage). Rebound (see more info below).

Stories from the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible (the Gospels about Jesus Christ). Illustrated with the lavish copper engravings by Jan Luyken (1649-1712). Captions in Dutch and French. With naamlyst (checklist of the 62 large prints, 29 oval vignettes and 5 maps). Bound second folio edition. cf. Poortman II p.131.

The world map ("Generale Waereld Kaart / Carte generale du monde") shows the continents in detail (Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America) except Australia, of which only a small part of the coast is visible (Van Diemens Land). On the 4 other maps we find the Middle East, the Promised Land Israel, Arabia, Syria and Armenia.

The most spectacular prints are those showing the presence of God with lightning and thunderclouds around Mount Sinai (the "special effects" of the 18th century), the architecture of the Tower of Babel, the volcano-like disaster of Sodom and Gomorrah and the Ten Plagues of Egypt (with pyramid of Giza).

Three editions of the Jan Luyken Bible were published; the first in 1708 (without text) by Pieter Mortier, the second in 1729 by his son-in-law and son who had taken over the business in 1719. The third edition (similar to the second) appeared in 1747 by F. Houttuyn.

This copy was restored by master bookbinder Hans Zegveld from Nijmegen. The title print (of Houttuyn!) is grubby and is missing a piece at the bottom right. 'Gideon verslaat de Medianiten' has an ugly stain. The other plates are in good to excellent condition. The original half-leather binding was provided with a linen spine on which the name of the artist is stamped in gold.

* More pictures available on request.