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In 1980 I published my first poem in a non ‘student edited” journal, of course I didn’t ascribe my success to my University or even my Religion but such was 1980. Here is a class publication from the Jesuit College in Antwerp 1627.  It is quite accomplished and really a beautiful book. I find it amazing in quite a few ways. I love the idea of Emblems ‘impresa’ as a generative device for poetic/sacred inspiration ( lots of putti, angels as you’d expect but also lots of  ‘sporting goods’ tennis racquets,cards and other great artifacts. I also like the trilingualism, Latin, ok French sure .. but Flemish? Wow! Also the Image of Loyola one foot in America.

All by students…

339 G   COLLEGIUM ANTVERPIENSE, Jesuit. 1627

Typus mundi in quo eius calamitates et pericula nec non divini, humanique amoris antipathia / Emblematice proponuntur a RR.C.S.I.A

Antuerpiae : Apud vidua Cnobbaer,1652                                                                        $SOLD

Octavo, 4 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches . Third Edition A-F12. There are 32 engravings by Jan Cnobbaert after Philippe van Mallery.  This is bound in its original vellum binding. with the book plate of Jacobus Weinbuech, and his stamp on the rear paste down “Jacobus Weinbuech ad.DV Cooperator” (early 18th century?)

This book presents the Emblems of the rhetoric class of 1627 of Jesuit College in Antwerp. In combination with the rare printed emblems of rhetoric-students of the Jesuit College of the Spanish Netherlands. The book is structures such that each image is preceded by a short Latin poem then translations into French and Flemish. This book is a wonderful example of how the Jesuit educational system worked it is an artifact of that history, exposing us to the aesthetics and poetics, as well as its latent or explicit references of contemporary art and literature. In many ways it is representative of the Counter-Reformation devotional writings of the Jesuit. This book presents the work of nine pupils verifying of the Rhetoric class of the year 1627 of Antwerp Jesuit college. And it Represents one of the rare “Affixiones” or exhibitions of the emblematic exercises of pupils of the Rhetoric classes at the Jesuit colleges in the Spanish Netherlands published in print. The (anonymous) authors of the published work are:  Tellier, Giles / Gallaeus, Balthasar / van Rheyden, Gerardus / Waerenborch, Joannes / Moretus, Joannes / Coldenhove, Nicolaus / Fruytiers, Philippe / Helman, Philip.

The authors’ names are given on p. 239.and ‘KULeuven library System’) – published by the RR.CSIA (Rhetoribus Collegii Societatis Jesus Antwerp) These affixiones- are the phenomenon of producing a book (most  published in very small pressings) best represented by the word ‘affichages’- These books are artifacts of the Jesuit educational success as they commend the quality of their education system to

the outside world.

deBacker-Sommervogel,; I, column 448, no. 15; Corpus librorum emblematum. Jesuit series,; J.18; Emblem books

at the Univ. of Illinois,; A51; Landwehr, J. Emblem books in the Low Countries,; 675; Praz, M. Studies in 17th cent. imagery (2nd ed.),; p. 519 COLLEGIUM ANTVERPIENSE, Jesuit. 1627