Hartmann Schedel / Michael Wolgemut/ Wilhelm Pleydenwurff - The Nuremberg Chronicle (Liber Chronicarum) - 1493

Original incunabulum leaf CCLV (255) from the Nuremberg Chronicle of Hartmann Schedel, the first Latin edition from 1493.

An incunabulum (cradle print) is a book printed in Europe before 1 January 1501, when the printing press was still in its infancy, and of which the text is set in movable type. They are now rarely seen on the market.

The Nuremberg Chronicle (Liber Chronicarum) by Hartmann Schedel is one of the most famous and best illustrated incunabula. The beautiful woodcuts were made by Michael Wohlgemut (1434/37-1519) and his stepson Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (1450-1494), a teacher of Albrecht Dürer. Dürer probably also contributed to the execution of many of the woodcuts for this incunabulum.

The beautifully coloured woodcuts show on the recto side show two illustrations:
1. Johannes Königsberger, a highly intelligent German
2. The village depicted here is Nicholashausen. This village, located in the noble land of Franconia (a region in modern-day Germany), was the site where a herdsman preached against the papacy and clergy in A.D. 1476.

On the verso side, three beautiful illustrations are depicted:
1. Galeazzo Maria, duke of Milan
2. Charles, duke of Burgundy
3. Locusts, flying over Italy in the same year, devastated the country about Brescia

This is not a facsimile edition, but an original leaf printed in the 15th century - so 531 years old!
Rare in colored version.

Dimensions: 46,5 x 32 cm

Good condition, some old creases.