Mythology, Woman Pope, King David, Antique Musical Instruments
Title page for "De jure belli ac pacis" (On the Law of War and Peace).
By Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)
Copper etching by Romeyn de Hoghe (1645-1708)
Title page before lettering, PROOF, Mythology, Woman Pope, King David, Antique musical instruments
De Hooghe etched this title for the above book by Grotius. But the book was published with a different title page by de Hooghe in Amsterdam, 1670. It is possible, but an assumption, that the present title page did not please the publisher. It might be, that the publisher refused to use it and ordered de Hooghe to come up with a different title page, which was actually used.
If this assumption is correct, we would be looking at a rare surviving proof print of a never used title page, as it never went to the printing press for the actual book production.
The allegorical conglomerate of this etching is signed by de Hooghe in the center of the print. The date, 1632, next to his name cannot be the date of the year in which it was etched, since de Hooghe was not even born yet (1645). But it is the date of the first Dutch publication of the book (Amsterdam 1632). First edition in French was Paris, 1625
Some interpretations of the allegory in this print: It seems that the scene top center refers to King Charles V of France (1338-1380 - Reign: 1364-1380). The three Lillies in their presentation on this print as the Coat of Arms of the Bourbon Monarchy in France shown here was used in this formation between 1376 to 1792. The veiled (mourning???) female figure holding the crown in process of crowning has no one to crown. When Charles V died he was succeeded by his 11-year old son Charles VI.
Below the Coat of Arms we see the quarrel between the Good and the Evil. In the upper right corner we see the Pope as a FEMALE with the tiara and the keys of Rome. The epoch referered to (from our assumption) falls into the Avignon period of Papal Schism, which ended in 1378.
The lower half of the print shows King David ??? playing the lyre, accompanied by other figures playing antique instruments, flute, harp etc.
We may error with the assumptions and suggestions we have come to, so we are glad to receive any additions or corrections.
Print has PROOF quality. Strong impression. Narrow margin all around beyond copper plate marks. Print had been folded down the middle vertically and horizontally, leaving hardly any disturbing marks.
Image: 36,7 x 26,5 cm (ca. 14.5 x 10.4")
From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Schism Sep 2022):
The Western Schism, also known as the Papal Schism, the Vatican Standoff, the Great Occidental Schism, or the Schism of 1378 (Latin: Magnum schisma occidentale, Ecclesiae occidentalis schisma), was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 1378 to 1417[1] in which bishops residing in Rome and Avignon both claimed to be the true pope, and were joined by a third line of Pisan claimants in 1409. The schism was driven by personalities and political allegiances, with the Avignon papacy being closely associated with the French monarchy. These rival claims to the papal throne damaged the prestige of the office.[2]
