Artwork

Title Page for Anatomia Totivs Avgvstissimae Doctrinae Avgvstinae

Title Page for Anatomia Totivs Avgvstissimae Doctrinae Avgvstinae is an ink print by the Baroque artist Netherlandish 17th Century. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work is an engraved title page for a treatise on the teachings of Augustine, executed on laid paper.

About this work

Overview

The work is an engraved title page for a treatise on the teachings of Augustine, executed on laid paper. Central to the composition is a bearded figure clutching a luminous heart, surrounded by robed individuals bearing books, crucifixes and other emblematic objects, with a kneeling child at the lower edge. Atmospheric clouds and a shaft of light heighten the dramatic effect.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure represents Augustine, his glowing heart symbolizing divine love or theological insight. The surrounding scholars and clerics, each holding texts or religious symbols, suggest the transmission and study of Augustinian doctrine. The child’s posture may allude to the reception of this wisdom by future generations.

Technique & Style

Engraved with fine, closely spaced lines, the print achieves subtle shading and a sense of three‑dimensionality. The use of laid paper provides a textured background that enhances the contrast between the dark incised areas and the illuminated spaces, typical of early modern printmaking.

History & Provenance

Created as the frontispiece for a printed volume on Augustinian theology, the engraving would have been bound to the book and circulated among scholars and religious institutions. Its survival as a separate sheet indicates it was later removed or retained for its artistic merit.

Context

Printed in an era when religious reform and the resurgence of patristic study prompted the production of illustrated theological works, the image reflects the period’s emphasis on visualizing doctrinal authority. Engravers of the time often employed allegorical figures to convey complex theological ideas.