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

Original incunabulum leaf CLXVII (167) from the Nuremberg Chronicle of Hartmann Schedel, the 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 on the recto side show four illustrations:
1. Charles, king of the Franks.
2. Roland, a count Palatine and grandson of Charles.
3. Tassilo, a duke of Bavaria.
4. Adalgis, son of Desiderius, who during the siege of Pavia fled to Greece, at this time, by the help of many Greeks, came into Italy with a great force to demand the return of his father’s kingdom.

On the verso side two beautiful illustrations are portrayed:
1. A lineage of popes including: Leo the third, Stephen the Fourth and lastly Paschal.
2. A comet, which appeared in the year that Pope Leo died; and which, according to some, was an omen of this calamity.

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

Dimensions: 42 x 29,5 cm.

Good condition, a few brown spots in white margin.