Wenceslas Cobergher’s Project for Four Books on Antiquities. Excerpts from: Jacob Spon: Réponse a la critique publiée par M. Guillet sur le Voyage de Grece de Jacob Spon (Lyon 1679) and Joseph van den Gheyn: Pieresc et Cobergher (Anvers 1905) (FONTES 40)

Abstract

The French antiquarian Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (1580-1637) visited the Flemish painter and architect Wenceslas Cobergher (1560 circa-1634) in Brussels in July 1606. During their discussions concerning Cobergher’s drawings, the artist revealed to Peiresc his project for the publication of four books on antiquities. The French antiquarian recorded carefully what Cobergher recounted. Wenceslas Cobergher’s project had attracted the attention of the French antiquarian Jacob Spon, der den Nachlass von Peiresc’s papers concerning Cobergher were found, transcribed and published by Joseph van den Gheyn in 1905. Cobergers books were to treat 1) ancient architecture, 2) ancient painting and sculpture, 3) the images of the ancient deities, and 4) ancient coins. Cobergher’s project represents the continuation of topics presented more fully in FONTES 38 and FONTES 39 (Jacob Spon’s classification system for the study of archaeology and Jacques Paul Babin’s description of Athens), as well as a supplement and complement to them