All plates are signed as designed by B(ern). P(ass). R(oman)., apart from pl. [11], which is signed as designed by Martin. de Vos. All are signed as engraved by Hier(onymus). W(ierx), apart from nos. [27]-[29], [31]-[34], [36]-[38], which are signed as engraved by Ant(on). W(ierx), and nos. [39], [40], which are signed as engraved by Ioan. Wierx.
References
M. Mauquoy-Hendrickx, Les Estampes des Wierix (4 v., 1978-83); L. van Puyvelde, Bernardo Passeri, Marten de Vos and Hieronymus Wierix (1956).
Maj-Brit Waddell, ed., Evangelicae Historiae Imagines: Entstehungsgeschichte und Vorlagen (1985).
Summary Note
Plates [1] - [39] show events in the life of Christ, from the Agony in the Garden to the Ascension. Plate [40] shows the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin at Pentecost. Plates [42] - [44] show the death and Assumption of the Virgin.
Reproductions
A facsimile of the plates of Nadal's Evangelicae historiae imagines was published in 1976 (Bergamo: Edizioni Monumenta Bergomensia) under the title Immagini di storia evangelica: riproduzione integrale in facsimile dell'originale, Anversa, MDXCIII.
Copy Note
Each plate is pasted on the recto of a leaf. The verso of the preceding leaf carries a handwritten description in ink, in Dutch. The recto of the first leaf is inscribed in ink with a note in Dutch or Flemish describing the content and ascribing the plates to 'hierom: wirex' and the designs to 'Bern: passigani'. The last plate is followed by a leaf inscribed in pencil, 'by HW - 32 AW - 10 JW - 2 - 44' and 'after Passeri - 43 De Vos - 1 - 44'.
A slip of paper has been tipped in, facing pl. [23], which shows the Deposition of Christ. The slip is inscribed in ink, 'The existence of the opposite print is doubted by Sir Joshua Reynolds in his journey to Flanders & Holland - from which print, Rubens is there said to have borrowed the composition of his Descent of the Cross.'
These 44 plates have possibly been extracted from the 153 plates printed in Gerónimo Nadal's Evangelicae historiae imagines (Antwerp, 1593) and in his Adnotationes et meditationes in Evangelia (Antwerp, 1595).
Binding Note
18th-century calf; rebacked in 1990, retaining earlier dark green spine label lettered 'Passerie Life Of Christ'.