A beautiful ‘Emblem Book’
By H Dominic W Stiles, on 9 August 2013
One of my favourite books in out collection has little to do with hearing or deafness as far as I can see – Veridicus Christianus by Joanne or Jan David, published in 1601 in Antwerp. It is a Jesuit ’emblem book’. It has the most beautiful engravings, probably by a member of the Galle family, Theodoor or Cornelius . The page here on the left is the reason we have it – there is a funnel that presumably is directing sound from (or to?) the man in the pulpit.
Here are some more illustrations… click onto the images for a slightly more demonic size.
Looking at it makes me feel like a character in the film The Ninth Gate!