French Engraver François Houat's 1694 Edition of the Missale Romanum

Typography and liturgical printing are one of those areas that frequently get neglected in our contemporary considerations of the liturgical arts and yet a well published liturgical book is not only of practical value, it is also yet another manifestation of the beauty that we invest into the sacred liturgy and divine worship given its particular and central importance in Catholic life. 

Practically of course, we need books that can stand up to the rigours of day-to-day liturgical use, made with solid, durable bindings, sewn ribbon markers that allow for ease of turning to marked pages, and good quality paper that will stand the test of time. These are a necessity for any book that is intended to see frequent use. But beyond these merely utilitarian considerations, our liturgical books ought also be characterized by their particular quality and beauty, just as ought our sacred vestments, sacred architecture, and all other objects and items of liturgical art. This includes our liturgical books,  such as breviaries, but most especially the altar missal which is the pre-eminent, public liturgical book that finds its place upon our altars. 

Obviously liturgical books come in different shapes and sizes. Some have more ornamental bindings than others, but traditionally going back to the nineteenth century and earlier, liturgical books were generally characterized by their beautiful leather bindings, often inclusive of gilt decorations, along with beautiful typography, drop capitals and ornamental engravings for the most important pages and solemnities of the liturgical year. Some of these missals even included accompanying ornamental borders -- and these are the missals which I find I tend to gravitate to and find the most noble of all. 

In view of inspiring these considerations, I wanted to share some of the most important and decorative pages from a 1694 edition of the Missale Romanum, which includes engravings by François Houat, a French engraver who was active around the period of 1677-1707, operating primarily out of the cities of Lyon, Paris and Nancy in France.  In particular he was known for these particular illustrations, showcasing various scenes in the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, but you will also not want to sleep on looking at the beautiful ornamental borders he produced for the accompanying page.  

It is worth pointing out that these borders are not merely random decorative works intended to merely fill space; they are rather intended to be symbolic and thematic, presenting us with designs related to the liturgical contents of the pages which they accompany. In the page we for the First Sunday of Advent, for example, (see above) we see a beautiful depiction of the Tree of Jesse that culminates at the top of the page with an image of the Virgin and Child. 

In the case of the pages for Christmas day (see below), we not only see an full page engraving of the Nativity, but also a border showing us the angel announcing to the shepherds the coming of Christ and smaller, secondary imagery of the betrothal of the Virgin and St. Joseph, the Visitation, and the Circumcision. 

Detail

One can see here the level of thought and detail that has gone into these pages. Even the capital for the introit of the Mass  includes a scene that is pertinent to the feast. It is this sort of attention to detail that we always should strive for if we are to take the sacred liturgy and the faith it embodies seriously. 

Pontificating aside, I would like to share some of the further scenes that can be found in this particular edition of the Roman missal. I shall leave it to you to explore the various details as you see fit, but I would encourage you to take the time to look at them and appreciate their beauty and the richness of the symbolism that can be found within them. I would also invite you to consider how something as simple as a beautiful liturgical book contributes not only to the overall beauty of the liturgy, but can even foster a proper prayerful disposition and certain gravitas. 

Epiphany

Easter Sunday

The Ascension

Pentecost

Corpus Christi

The Assumption

All Saints Day

The beginning of the Roman Canon

We shall conclude with a two other engraving that can be found throughout the missal, used where one section of the missal terminates. Rather than merely leaving these sections blank, no space was left unadorned. 

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