Harrewijn, Frans ; Jongelinx, J.B. ; Bouttats, Petrus Balthazar

The Great Sacred [- profane] Theatre of the Duchy of Brabant. The Hague Chr. van Lom 1729-1730 2 vol. in-f°. Contemporary speckled calf, boards with triple gilt fillet, spines with gilt fleurons on the nerves, red tr. II split, scuffing, stains and spotting to lower board of vol. I, headpieces damaged and lower one of vol. I missing). Ex. consisting of the 4 volumes of these 2 important chorographical works bound as follows: volume I: volume I of the Sacred Theatre; volume 2: volumes I-II of the Secular Theatre followed by volume II of the Sacred Theatre. - Le Grand Théâtre sacré [...]. 1729. 2 volumes : [6]-394, [2]-40, [2]-212, [2]-134 pp; 282 (of) 284 h.-t. (incomplete of the plates on pp. 60 and 68 - i.e. Van Hove and de Spenraey - of vol. II (1st part), plate of the house of Pitzenbourg "pars anterior" bound in on p. 73 of vol. I of the Secular Theatre, plate of the Carmelite Convent in Vilvoorde on p. 87 from another copy; some brown spotting, rare short margin plates, pp. 133/134 of vol. II bound after table, 2nd volume-1st part: fold on p. 28 (Antwerp Cathedral) reinforced, tear on p. 134 (Professed house of the Jesuits). First edition of the translation of this ecclesiastical chorography of iconographic and genealogical interest dealing with the archdioceses of Mechelen, Walloon Brabant, Antwerp and Bois-le-Duc. Very abundant illustrations, mostly on double pages (sometimes several copperplates on the same plate), engraved e.a. by Fr. Harrewijn, J.B. Jongelinx and P.B. Bouttats. Composed of : 171 (out of 173) monuments or funeral slabs, stained glass windows and plates representing the arms cabinet of St. Gudula and St. Rombaud,- 83 plates of coats of arms, views of abbeys, churches, castles, convents and altars (Tervuren, Heverlé Abbey, Church of St. John at Bois-le-Duc, Dominican convent at Antwerp...),- 26 portraits of bishops and archbishops,- 2 maps (archbishopric of Malines and diocese of Antwerp),- 5 in texto depicting views of abbeys or burials. This work is a considerably enlarged reworking of the "Groot kerkelyk toneel des hertogdoms van Brabant" (The Hague, 1725), the first part of which on Mechelen consists of an abridged translation of the work of Corneille van Gestel ("Historia sacra et profana archiepiscopatus Mechliniensis", The Hague, 1725). The additions are considerable and concern in general the epitaphs and lists of provosts, abbots, priors, abbesses, etc., plus a large quantity of plates. The epitaphs were copied on the spot or are taken from Fr. Sweertius ("Monumenta sepulchralia [...] ducatus Brabantiae", Antwerp, 1613), J.-B. Christyn ("Basilica bruxellensis [...]", Brussels, 1677), J. Le Roy ("Notitia marchionatus [...] Antverpiensis", Antwerp, 1678), etc. This compilation, as well as the "Groot kerkelyk toneel", should not be counted among the works of Jacques Le Roy (died in 1719). The analogy in the titles, the general appearance and the names of the engravers has led to an erroneous attribution of this work to the author of the "Grand Théâtre profane du Duché de Brabant". - Le Roy, Jacques - Le Grand Théâtre profane du Duché de Brabant [...]. 1730. 2 volumes: [4]-64, [4]-151-[12] pp; 73 pl. (some foxing, slight marg. stain at beginning). Unique French edition of the compilation of the "Topographia historica Gallo-Brabantiae" of 1692 and the "Castella & Praetoria Nobilium Brabantiae, Coenobiaque Celebriora" of 1699 entirely reworked excluding chapters, passages and plates concerning the ecclesiastical history of Brabant. Illustrated with : 3 plates of the coats of arms of the cities of Brabant,- 1 plate of heraldic enamels,- 1 plate of seals,- 67 plates comprising 188 engraved subjects (plans and perspectives of the cities of Louvain, Brussels, Antwerp and Bois-le-Duc, as well as views of castles),- and qqs in texto. Volume II, introduced by a proper title, is complete with the map and 11 pp. giving the tables of family and place names as well as the errata. Jacques le Roy (1633-1719), baron of the Holy Roman Empire, was a counsellor and financial clerk to the Spanish government of the Southern Netherlands. Ref. BB V:319-329 (T. 57) and V:369 (Sacred Theater). - BB III:854-857 (Secular theatre). Prov. monogrammed stamps on titles. - Ivan Plissart (mod. armorial bookplate). - J.F. Valentyne, Brussels (dry stamp, vol. I).