Joanne David - Veridicus Christianus - 1606

Allegory, Virtue, and a Bit of Vanity: The Most Elegant Believer in Europe
Beautiful boar leather binding, cold-engraved, with a wide Renaissance design.
The Veridicus Christianus by Joannes David, a Flemish author, is one of the most representative devotional works of Jesuit spirituality from the early seventeenth century. Published in the prestigious Officina Plantiniana in Antwerp in 1606 by Jan Moretus, this expanded second edition stands out for its typographical elegance and for the rich allegorical apparatus that translates the principles of Christian life into images and symbols. The engraved architectural frontispiece, with allegorical figures and the IHS monogram, reflects the communicative power of Jesuit printing, conceived as a tool for persuasion and moral edification during the Counter-Reformation period.
Market value
The 17th-century editions of Veridicus Christianus, especially those printed by the Plantin-Moretus, are rare and sought after. An intact copy of the second edition from 1606 in contemporary binding can be worth between 1,500 and 3,000 euros, depending on its condition and the completeness of the engravings. Copies in good condition, with a well-preserved engraved frontispiece and original binding, can fetch higher prices, particularly at international auction houses specializing in Jesuit and Plantinian books.

Physical description and condition
A folio volume, in contemporary binding, in full pigskin decorated with blind tooling, featuring a wide Renaissance layout and remnants of metal clasps. The spine has raised bands with a red label. The frontispiece is entirely engraved, with elaborate Jesuit allegories. Beautiful full-page illustrations outside the text, 91 out of 100. The paper shows some oxidation and signs of use. Pages 18, 374, and 16.

Full title and author
Truthful Christian
Antwerp, from the Plantin workshop, by Ioannem Moretum, 1606.
Joanne David

Context and Significance
This work is situated at the heart of early 17th-century Jesuit production, aimed at spreading a spirituality based on meditation, examination of conscience, and the practice of Christian virtue. Joannes David proposes a moral and religious educational path through allegories and symbols that are part of the Jesuit iconological tradition, similar to that developed by authors like Jerónimo Nadal. The Veridicus Christianus reflects the cultural program of the Society of Jesus: to educate, persuade, and shape through an interplay of word and image. The Plantinian edition gives the text a highly significant typographic and symbolic value, demonstrating Antwerp’s central role as the publishing capital of the Counter-Reformation.

Brief biography of the author
Joannes David (1545-1613) was a Flemish Jesuit priest, known as a preacher and devotional writer. He dedicated himself to developing moral and spiritual works aimed at an educated and devout audience, standing out for his ability to combine theological argumentation with the use of allegorical images. Veridicus Christianus remains his most famous work, demonstrating the Jesuits' commitment to spreading a visual and pedagogical religiosity.

Printing history and circulation
The first edition of Veridicus Christianus was printed in Antwerp in 1601, always by the Officina Plantiniana. The 1606 second edition, expanded and enriched, cemented the work's success, spreading through Jesuit colleges and religious libraries across Europe. The print run was not very large, but the typographic quality and the prestige of the Plantin-Moretus ensured wide circulation. Today, the surviving copies are kept in historic libraries and rarely appear on the antiquarian market.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Voet, The Plantin Press, no. 731
Backer-Sommervogel, Bibliotheca of the Society of Jesus, II, col. 1837-1838
ICCU-SBN, copies preserved in Italian libraries
USTC 1003499