Anton kobergs firm operated twentyfour presses and employed a hundred editors, proofreaders, and typesetters. Michael wolgemut german, 14341519, linea pontificu, woodcut, page opening folio xxvi. The nuremberg chronicle is credited to a doctor of nuremberg, hartmann schedel, the author of the text, but the book as a whole was a collaborative effort. It was the illustrator and engraver michael wolgemut who conceived the idea of preparing a profusely illustrated world history. Christ on mount of olives, page 52 from the treasury schatzbehalter, 1491 michel wolgemut. Jul 27, 2010 the nuremberg chronicles illustrations were done in the workshop of michael wolgemut, and were group endeavors involving people with several different specific skills. The bavarian state library in munich has schedels library, including his handcolored copy of the nuremberg chronicle, and books he examined during the writing process. The nuremberg chronicle is a history of the world from creation to the publishing of the book in 1493.
It was a popular book and many copies have survived, making it one of the moststudied early incunabula printed, not. It is one of the bestdocumented early printed books an incunabulum and. Liber chronicarum first edition nuremberg chronicle. At the end of the 15th century, the new industry of book printing reached its zenith in nuremberg, germany. He earned a doctorate in medicine in padua inthen settled in nuremberg to practice medicine and collect books. The text is a universal history of the christian world from the beginning of times to the early 1490s, written in latin by the nuremberg physician. The nuremberg chronicle and the history of the world. Michael wohlgemut 14341519 and wilhelm pleydenwurff. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page.
A single handcoloured bifolium from the famed nuremberg chronicle, showing the full view of rome, leaves lvii and lviii by incunabula. Anton koberger, for sebald screyer and sebastian kammermeister, 1493. Perhaps the most elaborately illustrated book of the 15th century, the nuremberg chronicle ranks with the gutenberg bible in terms of its magnificent craftsmanship and unsurpassed excellence of design. Jerusalem, with the temple of solomon from the nuremberg. Find art you love and shop highquality art prints, photographs, framed artworks and posters at. The print, of the city of constantinople, is one of many twopage spread images in the book. Hartmann schedel and recounts the history of the world from creation to the.
The liber chronicarum by hartmann schedel printed in nuremberg by anton koberger in 1493, or nuremberg chronicle as it is generally called, is one of the most important german incunables and the most extensively illustrated book of the 15th century. Anton koberger, printer of the nuremberg chronicle, printed the first humanist book in nuremberg in 1472. The special fund provided by relatives and friends of dr. While many of the cities discussed in the book are illustrated with generic views, printed from a limited number of blocks, nuremberg has. Wolgemut ran a wellknown and respected artists workshop in nuremberg and he himself. Nuremberg chronicle wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. This is a very handsome copy, with royal provenance, of the most extensively illustrated book of the 15th century, issued by the most successful german printer of the era. The ghoulish jamboree above, one of over 1,000 illustrations that appear in the book, certainly leaves a lasting, hairraising impression. The large workshop of michael wolgemut, then nurembergs leading artist in various. Ii of the book the nuremberg chronicle liber chronicarum nuremberg. Jerusalem, with the temple of solomon from the nuremberg chronicle michael wolgemut 14341519, 1493 ce the nuremberg chronicle, liber chronicarum, was authored by hartmann schedel 14401514 in 1493 ce and presents a world history that celebrates the city of nuremberg as a spiritual and geographical hub comparable to the true.
The first edition of the nuremberg chronicle, which was in latin, was published in nuremberg in 1493 by anthony koberger. Although dominated by a conservative aristocracy, nuremberg was a center of northern humanism. The artists, michael wolgemut, the wellknown teacher of albrecht drer, and his stepson, wilhelm pleydenwurff have been praised and admired for over fivehundred years for their. Hartmann schedel and recounts the history of the world. The dance of death 1493 by michael wolgemut, from the nuremberg chronicle of hartmann schedel.
Nuremberg chronicle sellersupplied images abebooks. It is one of the bestdocumented early printed books an incunabulum and one of the first to successfully integrate illustrations and text. It was a tremendously complex printing project which began in 1491 and continued until completion of the book in july 1493. The illustrations in the nuremberg chronicle were not only its most important selling point, they were actually the reason for its being.
Latin scholars refer to it as liber chronicarum book of chronicles as this phrase appears in the index introduction of the latin edition. A drawing by wolgemut for the elaborate frontispiece, dated 1490, is in the british museum. Illustrated by, michael wolgemut, wilhelm pleydenwurff. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Although dominated by a conservative aristocracy, nuremberg was a centre of northern humanism. Wolgemut and pleydenwurff, the painters, were to provide the layout of the chronicle, to oversee the production of the woodcuts, and to guard the designs against piracy. The nuremberg chronicle is a book that was published in germany in 1493. Dec 16, 2019 he earned a doctorate in medicine in padua inthen settled in nuremberg to practice medicine and collect books.
Extra illustratd with 2 leaves from the first latin edition form. Michael wolgemut and wilhelm pleydenwurif were the principal artists contracted to create the engravings for the book and while each was a prominent artist in their own right, they are probably best remembered for their contributions to the nuremberg chronicle. City views and decorations from the nuremberg chronicle dover pictorial archive grafton, carol belanger on. It is one of the bestdocumented early printed booksan incunabulumand one of the first to successfully integrate illustrations and text. City views and decorations from the nuremberg chronicle hartmann schedel, carol belanger grafton, michael wolgemut perhaps the most elaborately illustrated book of the 15th century, the nuremberg chronicle ranks with the gutenberg bible in terms of its magnificent craftsmanship and unsurpassed excellence. Danse macabre, nuremberg chronicle, 1493 stock photo. Page from the book the nuremberg chronicle, 1493 by. The nuremberg chronicle description the liber chronicarum, a universal history compiled from older and contemporary sources by the nuremberg doctor, humanist, and bibliophile hartmann schedel 14401514, is one of the most densely illustrated and technically advanced works of early printing. The nuremberg chronicle dates back into the incunabula times of book printing. The nuremberg chronicle liber chronicarum was published in. Scholars seeking to identify illustrations that might have been contributed by durer. Apr 25, 2018 liber chronicarum nuremberg chronicles. Woodcut by michael wolgemut published in the liber chronicarum cclxiiii verso book of chronicles, nuremburg, 1493. The nuremberg chronicle or, the book of chronicles from the beginning of.
An abbot and a bailiff, dancing the dance macabre, miniature from a 1486 book, printed by guy marchant in paris. Sebald shreyer, one of the patrons of the chronicle, commissioned paintings from classical mythology for the grand salon of his house. Nuremberg chronicle 1 nuremberg chronicle fifth day the nuremberg chronicle is an illustrated world history. With each page about the size of a modern broadsheet newspaper, it makes for a formidable presence on a table.
He was head of a large workshop which produced altarpieces, memorial pictures, portraits and designs for glass paintings. A rich selection of plates from this 1493 history of the world, long a treasured favorite of collectors. The nuremberg chronicle or, the book of chronicles from the beginning of the world, the most famous of german picture books of the fifteenth century, printed in the free city of nuremberg in 1493. The nuremberg entrepreneur sebald schreyer and his brotherinlaw, sebastian kammermeister, financed the production of the book. The nuremberg chronicle, first latin edition, michael wolgemut. Cclxii of the book the nuremberg chronicle liber chronicarum nuremberg. Page from the book the nuremberg chronicle, 1493 giclee print by michael wolgemut. Hiram olsan was used for this purchase, and this book thus joins the group of incunabula already. Schedel hartmann and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. From the harvard art museums collections nuremberg chronicle. If you hear sounds of the undead doing the dance of death, turn the other way, and have a. The scourging of christ verso, and the israelites enslaved in egypt recto, from schatzbehalter treasury, plate 21 from woodcuts from books of the 15th century, 1491, portfolio assembled 1929 michel wolgemut.
Wolgemut and his shop produced hundreds of designs for illustrated books such as the nuremberg chronicle of 1493. First and only latin edition of the most fully realized illustrated book of the fifteenth century and. City views and decorations from the nuremberg chronicle dover pictorial archive. Hartmann schedel 14401514 liber chronicarum private. The nuremberg chronicle world digital library the project was completed on 23 december not all copies are colored, however.
City views and decorations from the nuremberg chronicle dover pictorial archive by carol belanger grafton dec 17, 1998. Charnel house at holy innocents cemetery, paris, with mural of a danse macabre. The chronicle is one of the seventyfive books that he donated to the. This first edition by nuremberg chronicle, hartmann schedel is available at bauman rare books. The nuremberg chronicle is an illustrated biblical paraphrase and world history that follows the. A more recent overview is provided by stephan fussels introduction to chronicle of the world. Hartmann schedel and recounts the history of the world from creation to. The production team the nuremberg chronicle is credited to a doctor of nuremberg, hartmann schedel, the author of the text, but the book as a whole was a collaborative effort. In may of 1493 appeared in the latin language one of the earliest voluminous books, fully illustrated with 1809 woodcuts printed from 645 woodblocks. While many of the cities discussed in the book are illustrated with generic views, printed from a limited number of blocks, nuremberg has been depicted in considerable detail. Anton koberger, for sebald schreyer and sebastian kammermeister, 12 july 1493.
The liber chronicarumalso known as the nuremberg chronicle, is one of most chroincarum books to be issued during the early years of printing, mainly because of its 1, glorious images. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Wolgemut also wohlgemuth worked mainly in nuremberg. The woodcuts were produced by michael wolgemut, durers teacher, and by. The artists, michael wolgemut, the wellknown teacher of albrecht durer, and his stepson, wilhelm pleydenwurff have been praised and admired for over fivehundred years for their contributions to one of the monuments of early printing. The nuremberg chronicle is one of the most celebrated illustrated books of the. Woodcut of nuremberg, nuremberg chronicle on december 23, 1493, the german version of the nuremberg chronicle in german schedelsche weltchronik was published. The heart of the exhibition of course is a presentation of the chronicle itself. First there were people who drew the designs, both original and by adapting existing pictures. Anton koberger, 1493 by michael wolgemut, hartmann schedel, anton koberger 1493.
Michael wolgemut german, 14341519 or wilhelm pleydenwurff german, ca. The patrons agreed to advance gulden for paper, printing costs, and the distribution and sale of the book. Written in latin by hartmann schedel, with a version in german, translation by georg alt, it appeared in 1493. The chronicle includes the astonishing total of over 1,800 vivid woodcuts, some of great complexity, printed from approximately 645 different blocks designed and cut for the purpose by the nuremberg artists, michael wolgemut about 1434361519 and wilhelm pleydenwurff about 14501494. Even before durer departed on his wanderjahre in 1490, michael wolgemut s workshop was producing the most extensively illustrated book of the fifteenth century, the liber chronicarum, or nuremberg chronicle.
Michael wolgemut german, 14341519, constantinople, woodcut, page opening folio cxxx. The nuremberg city library holds the exemplars of the latin and german editions, letters, and related material. Written in latin by hartmann schedel, with a version in german, translation by georg alt, i. This is folio xxvi each folio, or twopage spread, is numbered, rather than each side of each sheet, as in modern books, a typical page from the nuremberg chronicle. The nuremberg chronicle, first latin edition, michael.
The nuremberg chronicle is an illustrated biblical paraphrase and world history that follows the story of human history related in the bible. Liber chronicarum registrum huius operis libri cronicarum. The liber chronicarum by hartmann schedel printed in nuremberg by anton koberger. 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. A history of the world from the biblical creation to the late 15th century, the chronicle was written in latin by physician, humanist scholar, and book collector hartmann schedel 14401514, who drew heavily on works of ancient and medieval history from his extensive personal collection.
It was printed in nuremberg, germany hence its common english name, which is not what the book was actually titled. While some art experts may claim to be able to identify which nuremberg chronicle woodcuts may be attributed to durer, there is no consensus. It is one of the bestdocumented early printed books an incunabulumand. This page was last edited on 22 august 2019, at 07. A milestone in the history of publishing, the nuremberg chronicle liber chronicarum of 1493 was a hugely ambitious book documenting the. In fact, schedel was known to have had multiple other world history books in his library, which he evidently drew from. The latin edition was finished on july 12,and the german on december 23, t he gordon newspaper room opens at 8. An encyclopedia of world history and geography as known in the late fifteenth century. First and only latin edition of the most fully realized illustrated book of the fifteenth century and one of the most impressive volumes ever published. Perhaps the most elaborately illustrated book of the 15th century, the nuremberg chronicle ranks with the gutenberg bible in terms of its magnificent. Written in latin by hartmann schedel, with a version in german translation by georg alt, it appeared in 1493. Written in latin, but with a german translation, it is one of the bestdocumented, bestpreserved incunables, and one of the first to have integrated text and illustrations in an aesthetic way. If the gutenberg bible is the most important and valuable printed book of the 15th century then the liber chronicarum, more commonly known as the nuremberg chronicle, is a close second. A drawing by wolgemut for the elaborate frontispiece, datedis in the british museum.
Consists of 610 folio pages with 645 woodcut engra. Rare liber chronicarum nuremberg chronicles youtube. The liber chronicarum, a universal history compiled from older and contemporary sources by the nuremberg doctor, humanist, and bibliophile hartmann schedel 14401514, is one of the most densely illustrated and technically advanced works of early printing. It contains 1809 woodcuts produced from 645 blocks. Near the center of the nuremberg chronicle, the city of nuremberg itself is represented, the only image to fill an entire doublepage spread. Wolgemut and pleydenwurff, the painters, were to provide the layout of the chronicle, to oversee the production of. The nuremberg chronicle is an illustrated world history.
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