The "Nuremberg Chronicle" – First Edition, in Latin – Nuremberg, 1493 –Incunabulum, With Numerous Woodcuts

The "Nuremberg Chronicle" – First Edition, in Latin – Nuremberg, 1493 –Incunabulum, With Numerous Woodcuts

Liber Chronicarum [the "Nuremberg Chronicle"], by Hartmann Schedel. [Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, July 12, 1493 (print details in colophon)]. First edition, Latin (a German edition was published later that same year).
Complete copy of the first edition of the illustrated incunabulum known in English as the "Nuremberg Chronicle", compiled by Hartmann Schedel, in its original Latin version.

The "Nuremberg Chronicle" presents an account of the history of the world from the creation of man to the time of its writing. It is widely regarded as one of the most important works of the earliest days of the printing press, and one of the first books to incorporate illustrations into the body of the text. 325 ff. (out of 328; missing three blank leaves); with some 1,800 beautiful woodcuts (including many repeats). With a few hand-painted initials. Handwritten notations in Latin in the margins of several leaves.
The "Nuremberg Chronicle" bears the distinction of being one of the most beautiful works of the early years of the printing press, mainly thanks to the numerous woodcuts it contains, including: Ptolemy's map of the world; a map of Central and Northern Europe after Nicholas of Cusa, considered to be the very first modern map of Central Europe; woodcuts presenting a wide array of biblical scenes and historical events, among them two early blood libels, specifically the blood libels of William of Norwich (England) and Simon of Trent (Trento, Italy); numerous portraits of prophets, kings, and other figures; and, in addition, views of cities in Europe and the Near East – among them, Jerusalem – in woodcuts regarded as the earliest visual representations of many cities ever to have appeared in print.
The woodcuts were created by the painter and print artist Michael Wohlgemut (1433/37-1519) – among the most prominent of Nuremberg's artists at the time, and stepson of Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (ca. 1450-1494) – in Wohlgemut's own workshop studio. Among the apprentices and students in this workshop was Albrecht Dürer, who is thought by a number of scholars to be responsible for some of the illustrations appearing in the "Chronicle, " including "The Seventh Day of Creation" (f. V) and "The Sun and the Moon (f. CLVII). The process of creating the illustrations and printing the book took roughly three years; in all, some 100 artists were involved, operating 24 printing presses in Anton Koberger's large printing house in Nuremberg.
Included among the woodcuts: • Creation of Eve (f. VI); • Noah's Ark (f. XI); • Tower of Babel under construction (f. XVII); • Destruction of Sodom and the meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek (f. XXI); • Binding of Isaac (f. XXII); • the Lord's Revelation to Moses through the Burning Bush, and Job and Satan (f. XIXX); • the Golden Calf (f. XXXI); • the Menorah (Seven-Branched Candelabrum (f. XXXII); • the Priest in his Priestly Attire, the Ritual Laver (Basin) and the Altar (f. XXXIII); • Judgement of Solomon (f. XLVII); • Eliyah's Ascent to Heaven (f. L); • the Blinded Zedekiah being led to Babylonia (f. LXII); the Third Temple: plans of the interior of the Temple and illustrations of the building (ff. LXVI and LXVII); views of the cities of Nuremberg (double plate), Würzburg (Herbipolis), Magdeburg, Basel, Prague, Strasbourg (Argentina in medieval Latin), Venice, Padua, Rome, Mantua (Mantova), Florence, Alexandria, Damascus, Jericho, Tiberias, Jerusalem (with Solomon's Temple at its center, f. XVII), and more; • "Destruccio Iherosolime, " a woodcut depicting the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple; • Jews being burnt alive in mass execution; • Crucifixion of William of Norwich (f. CCI); • Jews torturing the boy Simon of Trent (Trento, Italy, f. CCLIII); • The Dance of Death (f. CCLXIII); • and more.
The content of the "Chronicle" provides a survey – based on the Bible, and the science, history, and philosophy of that period – of the most important events in human history, from the creation of the world to the time of the book's writing. Schedel compiled the text from numerous sources, but like other academic authors and historians of the time, he did not provide citations or references. He adhered to the traditional system of distinguishing seven discrete eras of human history: From the creation of the world till the Great Flood; from the Great Flood to the birth of Abraham the Patriarch; from the birth of Abraham to the coronation of King David; from the Kingdom of David till the Babylonian Exile; from the Babylonian Exile till the Nativity of Jesus; from the birth of Jesus to the time of the author (a number of pages were notably left blank at the end of this particular chapter, allowing for the documentation of events in this last era that were yet to occur); and the final, seventh era, namely the future, marked by the coming of the Antichrist in the End of Days, and the Final Day of Judgement.
In addition to the above, the book includes detailed descriptions of cities in Europe and the Near East. Many of these descriptions are accompanied by large woodcut illustrations, widely regarded as the earliest known visual depictions in print of many of these cities. The illustrations are distinguished by their precision and attention to detail, on a level of quality unprecedented at the time. Owing to the limitations of travel in those days, many of the illustrations were not based on any direct experience of the artist with the site in question; rather, they were copied or inspired by earlier works, or were simply the fruits of the artist's imagination.
The "Chronicle" was popular in its day as an authoritative historical text, and as a reliable source of contemporarily available scientific and historical knowledge. It was consequently printed three times in the ten years following its earliest publication. Nevertheless, from the standpoint of its publishers, it was not a particularly profitable venture; only some 1,400 copies of the original (Latin) edition were printed in total, and of these, it is estimated that roughly 400 have survived. There were some 700 copies of the German edition printed later that same year, of which a total of only about 300 have survived (see: "Chronicle of the World: The Complete and Annotated Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493," Taschen [Köln, London, Madrid, New York, Paris, Tokyo], 2001, German edition, annotation and commentary in English, pp. 7-37).

[20], CCXCIX, [1] ff; [5] ff. (the gathering "De Sarmacia regione Europe"). In total, 325 ff., out of 328. Three blank leaves missing. Leaves CCLVIIII-CCLXI are blank, except for the headers. 46 cm. Overall good-fair condition. Approx. 60 leaves with smaller margins (some apparently supplied from another copy); some of them remargined. Map at end of book partly missing and professionally restored; missing half (with colophon on verso) supplied from another copy; strips of paper glued to edges. Inner margins of several leaves mended with paper. Stains (some dark) and blemishes, affecting text and illustrations on several leaves. Tears, some of them lengthy, to several leaves, some causing minor damage to text and illustrations, in some cases repaired. Worming, with minor damage to text. Handwritten notations. Several lines of text and one illustration on f. CLXIX deleted with ink. First leaf mounted on paper and partly detached. Old binding, with gilt decorations (gilt title on spine). Minor blemishes to binding. Bookplates on front pastedown.

Enclosed: Facsimile of the German edition of the "Nuremberg Chronicle":
"Chronicle of the World: The Complete and Annotated Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493," Köln, London, Madrid, New York, Paris, Tokyo: Taschen, 2001. Annotation and commentary in English.