Schedel, Virgin Mary, John Baptist, Salome, Anna et al.

"Qui(n)ta / Sexta etas mundi Folium XCIIII" / XCV"

Double page. Woodcut. Published in Nuremberg Chronicle.

Nuremberg, 1493 ( First edition. Language: Latin )

Original, exceptionally beautiful hand coloring.

Left sheet upper left: John Baptist, his parents and grand parents

Left side bottom: Salome and guests celebrate the decapitation of John the Baptist

Left sheet right side from top: Portrait of St. Joseph, Anna gives birth to St. Mary 

Engagement of Mary and Joseph - Annunciation

Right sheet: Genealogy of Jesus Christ

Verso:

Portraits on the left page, left side: Herodes, Archalaos, Componius, Marcus, Annius, Valerius, Pontius Pilatus

Scenes on left sheet right side: Birth of Jesus - 12 year-old Jesus teaching in temple - St. John baptizes Jesus - Jesus on the cross.

O the right page: Portraits of Strabo - Joachim and Anna - Zachariah and Elizabeth -

Virgin Mary

This print is 0ver 520 years old. The outstanding original hand coloring suggests, that it derives from a princely copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle. There are some damages which we document in scans.

- centerfold has been strengthened verso

- There are small repaired tears in margins, one reaching slightly into "Jesus on the cross"

- Upper left and upper right corners had some water damage. One hole in that area has been repaired with Japan paper, probably centuries ago.

In general the condition of this print is much better than good.

Sheet size: 41 x 56 cm (ca. 16 x 22")

The Nuremberg Chronicle, Nuremberg 1493

In May of 1493 appeared in the Latin language one of the earliest voluminous books, fully illustrated with 1809 woodcuts printed from 645 woodblocks: The Nuremberg Chronicle.

The story of this book is a story of superlatives. Hartmann Schedel, a medical doctor in Nuremberg who owned the most important private collection of books in all of Europe was the author. His library made the writing of this book possible. The writing and production of this book was teamwork. Among the more famous cooperators were Wilhelm Pleydenwurff and the painter and expert woodcutter Michael Wolgemut (1434-1519) who became the first noted book illustrator. His most famous apprentice up to 1489 was Albrecht Dürer who is supposedly contributed two woodcuts to the Chronicle. Poet Konrad Celtis contributed the German text which was published in December of the same year.

Sebald Schreyer (1446-1520), a wealthy merchant in Nuremberg, financed the enduring and long lasting preparations which went into the production of this book which is a "History of the World" from Genesis to the date of printing. The double page size woodcuts of city views are, with the exception of Lübeck, the first ever printed views. Large sized and sometimes in bold, bright hand coloring they are considered the crowns of city view collections.

Columbus had already "discovered" America when the Schedel Chronicle appeared on the book market. But no news of this stunning discovery had reached the editors in time to be included in this remarkable book, so that, alas, there is no mention of "The New World" in it. However it remains a fact that the Nuremberg Chronicle is one of the most noted and valuable incunabila.