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AN EXCEEDING RARE SPIRITUAL TREATISE, VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN IN SUCH AN EARLY SPANISH EDITION, AND THE BOOK USED AS AN EARLY CONVERSION MANUAL IN THE NEW WORLD. Printed 1681 in Fine Original Vellum with gilt! COMBATTING OF THE DEVIL! The Book: Scupoli, Lorenzo (1530-1610); (Juan de Castaniza) (d. 1598), COMBATE ESPIRITUAL ESCRITO POR EL VENERALE SCUPOLIU. Barcelona, Joseph Forcada, 1681, 64mo. Fine contemporary limp vellum with gilt blindstamping, usual woodcut illustrated title of the devil firing an arrow into the breastplate of a Christian soldier. 452 pgs and tabla, complete. A precious Spanish edition of this classic treatise on evangelical perfection through spiritual exercises, including several chapters in partcular to the promotion of Christian faith and the combatting of the devil, as evidenced particularly in the title and frontispiece illustration. This manual was among the often used in the New World for conversion of the native from their "vices and the snares of the devil." There are no traces of the first Spanish edition. The present volume is among the earliest surviving Spanish copies, all of which are extremely rare, and the next readily traceable one being from 1722. Scupoli, Lorenzo (1530-1610); (Juan de Castaniza) (d. 159. Combate espiritual, o Tratado de la perfeccion Christiana. Traduxolo en la lengua Espanola de la Italiana, y de la Latina; y lo consagra, a la Emperatriz y Reina nuestra Senora, Don Damian Gonzalez del Cueto doctor en ambos derechos. Vienna, Johann Baptist Schilgen, 1722. A precious illustrated Spanish edition of this classic treatise on evangelical perfection through spiritual exercises, Combattimento spirituale (The spiritual combat), with engravings by Martin Engelbrecht. This work is commonly attributed to Juan de Castaniza, who is here identified in the preface. Castaniza, a Benedictine monk of Ona active in Italy, was known for his chronicles of the life of P. Rivadeneyra and St. Romuald. The work was written by the Italian father Lorenzo Scupoli, however, and translated shortly after its appearance by Castaniza into Spanish. Combate espiritual, in this pocket-sized and compact duodecimo format, is a handbook of devotional exercises presented in sixty-six chapters, modeled after Loyola's famous text. It aims at perfecting the soul through prayer, meditation, and examination of the conscience. It is thus a guide for the conquest of the spirit over unruly passions, the senses, and conscious acts, offering a method for self-regulation leading to virtue and salvation. Indeed, it prescribes the imitation of Christ's life through empathic contemplation on the Passion, assisted by the text and images. The stirring devotional image of the Crucifixion, engraved by Engelbrecht (1684-1756), depicts the cross as the fountain of life ("apud me est fons vitae"); Christ's blood pours into the cups of his disciples who stand at his feet. The engraving is appropriate for the work, a visual experience provoking empathy for Christ through inward meditation and complete sensitization through reflection on the image. The frontispiece, also by Engelbrecht, depicts Christ as the exemplar of complete virtue. An unsigned engraving of St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) accompanies a short elegy by this great ascetic bishop of Geneva, who endorsed in his spiritual teachings the mortification of the senses, will, and mind for the sake of perfection. The more simple depiction of St. Francis de Sales is likely produced by a different engraver, as Engelbrecht's compositions are here characterized by fully-modeled figures and atmospheric effects through the use of fine linework. Engelbrecht was the brother of Christian Engelbrecht (1672-1735). These well-known printsellers and engravers were dominant figures in Augsburg at this time, and are remembered for their portrait studies, and their landscape, religious and allegorical illustrations. Martin is also noted for his engravings used in perspective boxes or peepsho.
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