VEEN, Otto van (1556-1629). Le Theatre Moral de la Vie Humaine, Brussels, 1672, folio, folding engraved plate and 103 engraved emblematic illustrations after Otto van Veen, contemporary calf (heavily rubbed, joints split). FIRST EDITION thus.

VEEN, Otto van (1556-1629, illustrator).  Le Theatre Moral de la Vie Humaine. Representée En plus de cent Tableaux divers, tirez du Poëte Horace, Par le Sieur Otho Venius, et Expliquez En autant de Discours Moraux par le Sieur de Gomberville. Avec la Table du Philosophe Cebes. Brussels: Chez François Foppens, 1672. 3 parts in one volume, folio (357 x 235mm). Title printed in red and black with engraved illustration, engraved portrait of the artist with some very faint hand-colouring, folding engraved plate of "Le Tableau de Cebes" and 103 fine engraved emblematic illustrations by Pierre Daret after Otto van Veen, large pictorial initials ([?]lacks half title, the title and the following leaf browned, folding plate repaired on verso with adhesive tape, H1 torn and repaired with slight loss, one illustration torn and faded without loss, some leaves torn without loss not affecting illustrations, a few leaves lightly browned, a few repairs, occasional light spotting and staining, a few darker spots). Contemporary calf gilt (very heavily rubbed and scuffed, corners worn, joints split). Provenance: Anna and Ian Adam (modern label); Marguerite Leonardo (old signature at the foot of the final text leaf); "19 Avril 1815" (inscription on rear pastedown). FIRST EDITION thus. The painter and humanist Otto van Veen, also known as Otto Venius and Octavius Vænius, taught Rubens in Antwerp between c. 1594 and 1598. The first engraving in part I is misnumbered "Troisieme Tableau" and the 41st engraving in part II is misnumbered "Trente=uniesme Tableau." The recto of [Dd2] has the catchword "Expli-" although the verso of the leaf is blank and the recto of the following leaf reads "Le Tableau de Cebes ..." Brunet IV, 545: "Le text de ce volume est la réimpression de celui de la Doctrine des moeurs, imprimée à Paris en 1646 ... et les planches sont celles des Horatii emblemata"; Graesse VII, 233; Landwehr Romantic Emblem Books 479; Praz pp.402-403 and 523-524; Rawles and Saunders A Bibliography of French Emblem Books F601.