Drexel - Mortis Nuntius - 1645

The messenger of eternity - or the art of learning to die
A emblematic work of the spirituality of the full Seicento, Jeremias Drexel's Aeternitatis prodromus mortis nuntius is one of the most intense and visually powerful treatises on death and eternity. Designed as a moral and devotional guide 'for the healthy, the sick, and the dying,' the text translates the Ignatian pedagogy of ars moriendi into an accessible yet dense form, combining word, image, and symbol. The engravings accompanying the volume, featuring meditating skeletons, hourglasses, and allegories of time, are not mere ornaments but true contemplative devices, intended to imprint in the reader's soul an awareness of death and the urgency of salvation.
Market value
In the international antique market, seventeenth-century editions of this title, especially complete with copperplate engravings, generally range between 1,200 and 1,500 euros, with higher prices for copies in good contemporary binding or particularly fresh. The condition and completeness of the engravings significantly influence the valuation.

Physical description and condition
Softcover copy with handwritten title in black ink on the spine. The title page is engraved, with initials and final ornaments in the text, and three engraved plates outside the text at signatures A8, G6, and P1. Pages browned, with foxing and scattered stains. In ancient books, with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present that are not always noted in the description. Pp. (2); 14nn; 336; 8nn; (4).

Full title and author
Forerunner of eternity, messenger of death. It is established for the healthy, the sick, and the dying.
Cologne, published by Cornelius ab Egmond and Associates, 1645.
Hieremias Drexelius and the Society of Jesus.

Context and Significance
The volume fits within the extensive corpus of Jesuit moral edification literature, but it stands out for its balance between theological rigor, rhetorical effectiveness, and iconographic strength. Drexel uses death as a pedagogical tool, not to generate terror, but to guide present life towards the perspective of eternity. The images, deeply symbolic, engage in a dialogue with the text within a coherent system of visual meditation, typical of the baroque emblematic culture. The work was widely disseminated across Europe and was read both as a spiritual manual and as a daily exercise in inner discipline.

Biography of the Author
Jeremias Drexel (1581–1638) was one of the most renowned Jesuit writers of his time. Born in Augusta, he joined the Society of Jesus and became famous for his moral and ascetic treatises, translated into numerous languages and reprinted throughout the 17th century. A court preacher in Munich, he skillfully combined doctrine, rhetoric, and symbolic imagination, becoming a key figure in post-Tridentine Catholic spirituality.

Printing history and circulation
The Aeternitatis prodromus saw numerous editions throughout the seventeenth century, often in portable formats, as evidence of its intended use for personal and meditative purposes. The prints from Cologne, a major center of typographic activity for Jesuit publishing, played a central role in its dissemination. The engraved plates, sometimes variants among different editions, represent a particularly interesting element for collectors and scholars.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Backer, A. de – Backer, A. de, Bibliothèque des écrivains de la Compagnie de Jésus, Paris, 1853–1861.
Landwehr, J., Emblem and Fable Books Printed in the Low Countries 1542–1813, Utrecht, 1988.
Praz, M., Studies in Seventeenth-Century Imagery, Rome, 1964.