Here are some woodcuts from a 1681 publication by one Joseph Romaguera, that glories in the title of Atheneo de grandesa sobre eminencias cultas catalana facundia ab Emblemas illustrada. The book was printed in Barcelona, by the firm of Joan Jolis.
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Romaguera was an Inquisitor, and canon of the Barcelona see. He is remembered as a defender of the Catalan tongue. His book is one of several featured in an interesting on-line exhibition, Aureum Opus: five centuries of the illustrated book.’
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My only reason for re-posting these woodcuts here is that they caught my eye as having an uncommon expressive force about them, so I magpied them, to better feather this virtual nest. Click on the images to see slightly larger versions of the same.
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just when I am in Barcelona...how odd and nice
Posted by: Manuela on September 20, 2003 06:15 PMInteresting.
Posted by: Leia on October 4, 2003 11:56 PMI would add that Romaguera's book is the only emblem book written in Catalan every published, and thus is of great importance. Apart from being involved in the Inquisition and Universities, Romaguera was a famed preacher and wrote many sermons in Castilian, many of which are still conserved today. Romaguera also represented the Church in the Catalan Courts convened by Philip V in 1701-1702.
Posted by: Aaron Ilika on December 24, 2006 09:33 PM