The Vertumnus of Vanity

A detailed engraved frontispiece. At the top corners, two pairs of cherub heads emerge from a background of clouds. The center of the page features a large radiant oval containing an intertwined monogram of the letters "A" and "M" (representing "Ave Maria"), which is topped with a royal crown and a small cross. The Latin words "NOMEN VIRGINIS" The name of the Virgin are arranged in an arc following the top edge of the radiant oval. Below the monogram are the Greek letters "ΜΡ ΘΥ" (abbreviation for Mother of God). Below the central radiance, a winged putto rises from clouds, holding a lily stalk in one hand and supporting a banner in the other. The banner is inscribed with "Luc. 1. v. 26." At the base of the image is an ornate, scrolled cartouche containing a four-line Latin inscription.