Titelpagina voor Hieremias Drexelius, Opera Spiritualia, 1636 1636

Editor: Here we have the title page for Hieremias Drexelius's "Opera Spiritualia" from 1636, engraved by Petrus Rucholle. There is such a whirlwind of allegorical figures swirling around that central inscription, which makes me feel rather overwhelmed, honestly! What do you make of this complex composition? Curator: Overwhelmed is right! But let's embrace the chaos. It's very Baroque, wouldn't you say? So much crammed into one space. It is also, not surprisingly, about spiritual things, heavy things, hence those scales in the top register, which makes me wonder what those folks represent. Are those zodiac references around the title's perimeter? I think the top half is definitely looking up... And then, right underneath... skulls! But why are we looking *down* toward them? Editor: Interesting! It feels almost like a hierarchy. Good is 'up,' and darkness is 'down?' I like the scales too - Judgment, maybe? Curator: Possibly! Or balance... a teetering spiritual act! Also note, lower center: S.I.O. Those letters likely indicate the "Societas Iesu Ordo," or the "Society of Jesus Order," a detail not entirely unrelated to our book! Tell me, what feeling emanates from the figures on either side of our terrestrial sphere? Editor: Hmm. The ones looking up appear to be longing, while those next to the pillars on the right seem despondent, trapped, maybe? I now realize that one side seems like reaching towards spirituality, and the other to an embodiment of earthly suffering? Curator: Indeed! Perhaps suffering must be endured. What a lot this seemingly straightforward book cover manages to communicate! It also begs the question: Which register of our title page attracts me? Which repels? And *why?* That is always the task when beholding and deciphering any work of art. Editor: I love that so much! So the question I bring is not simply "what is this supposed to *mean,*" but to also focus on *how does this affect me?* I’m definitely going to carry that with me, thanks.