Goltzius, Hubert (1526 - 1583).
De re numaria antiqua, opera quae extant universa (5 volumes).
Antwerp, 1708. (Verdussen Press edition).

This fantastic frontispiece is the design of Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640), the famous Flemish Baroque artist active in the 17th century. This is volume 1 of Goltzius’s Opera Omnia and the other 4 volumes have equally exquisite engravings, although this is the only one attributed to Rubens, whose signature can be seen in the bottom left. In the center of this allegorical scene, we see the bird Phoenix who looks over at the fall of civilization on the right, where Chronos/Saturn (holding his attribute the sickle), and Death, cast down the Romans and the others. On the left side, archaeology and history are symbolized by Hermes/Mercury, Hercules and Athena who bring to light the remains of the past. The entire scene appears as an endless circle going through destruction and restoration.

Goltzius’ Opera Omnia was originally printed by De Bie between 1617 – 1620, completed and republished by the Plantin-Moretus Press in 1644-45, and by the Verdussen Press in 1678 and 1708. The 1708 edition differed from the original issue in that it contained an additional title page printed in red and black and all the frontispieces, as we see here, contained the Verdussen address.

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