Nuremberg Chronicle 1

Nuremberg Chronicle

Fifth day

The Nuremberg Chronicle is an illustrated world history.Its structure follows the story of human history as relatedin the Bible; it includes the histories of a number ofimportant Western cities. Written in Latin by HartmannSchedel, with a version in German translation by GeorgAlt, it appeared in 1493. It is one of the best-documentedearly printed books - an incunabulum (printed, nothand-written) - and one of the first to successfullyintegrate illustrations and text.

Latin scholars refer to it as Liber Chronicarum (Book ofChronicles) as this phrase appears in the indexintroduction of the Latin edition. English speakers havelong referred to it as the Nuremberg Chronicle after thecity in which it was published. German speakers refer toit as Die Schedelsche Weltchronik (Schedel's WorldHistory) in honour of its author.

Page depicting Constantinople with addedhand-colouring

The illustrations in many copies were hand-coloured after printing.

Contents

The Chronicle is an illustrated world history, in which the contents aredivided into seven ages:• First age: from creation to the Deluge• Second age: up to the birth of Abraham• Third age: up to King David• Fourth age: up to the Babylonian captivity• Fifth age: up to the birth of Jesus Christ• Sixth age: up to the present time (the largest part)• Seventh age: outlook on the end of the world and the Last

Judgement

Publication

The Chronicle was first published in Latin on 12 July 1493 in the cityof Nuremberg. This was quickly followed by a German translation on23 December 1493. An estimated 1400 to 1500 Latin and 700 to 1000German copies were published. A document from 1509 records that539 Latin versions and 60 German versions had not been sold. Approximately 400 Latin and 300 German copiessurvived into the twenty-first century.[1] The larger illustrations were also sold separately as prints, oftenhand-coloured in watercolour. Many copies of the book are also coloured, with varying degrees of skill; there werespecialist shops for this. The colouring on some examples has been added much later, and some copies have beenbroken up for sale as decorative prints.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_f_4v.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hartmann_Schedelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hartmann_Schedelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1493http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Incunabulumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=English_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Schedel_konstantinopel.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Creation_mythhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deluge_%28mythology%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abrahamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=King_Davidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Babylonian_captivityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jesus_Christhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Last_Judgementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Last_Judgementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nuremberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=German_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_master_printhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Watercolour

Nuremberg Chronicle 2

The publisher and printer was Anton Koberger, the godfather of Albrecht Dürer, who in the year of Dürer's birth in1471 ceased goldsmithing to become a printer and publisher. He quickly became the most successful publisher inGermany, eventually owning 24 printing presses and having many offices in Germany and abroad, from Lyon toBudapest.[2]

Illustrations

A typical opening, uncoloured

Catching a "lion fish" - a small illustration from aLatin copy. Note the red capital done in pen and

ink, and the doodle in the margin below

The large workshop of Michael Wolgemut, then Nuremberg's leadingartist in various media, provided the unprecedented 1,809 woodcutillustrations (before duplications are eliminated; see below). SebastianKammermeister and Sebald Schreyer financed the printing in acontract dated March 16, 1492, although preparations had been wellunder way for several years. Wolgemut and his stepson WilhelmPleydenwurff were first commissioned to provide the illustrations in1487-88, and a further contract of December 29, 1491, commissionedmanuscript layouts of the text and illustrations.

Albrecht Dürer was an apprentice with Wolgemut from 1486 to 1489,so may well have participated in designing some of the illustrations forthe specialist craftsmen (called "formschneider"s) who cut the blocks,onto which the design had been drawn, or a drawing glued. From 1490to 1494 Dürer was travelling. A drawing by Wolgemut for theelaborate frontispiece, dated 1490, is in the British Museum.

The book did not have a title page, common at that time. As with otherbooks of the period, many of the woodcuts, showing towns, battles orkings were used more than once in the book, with the text labelsmerely changed; one count of the number of original woodcuts is 645.The book is large, with a double-page woodcut measuring about 342 x500mm.[2] Only the city of Nuremberg is given a double page illustration with no text. The illustration for the city ofVenice is adapted from a much larger woodcut of 1486 by Erhard Reuwich in the first illustrated printed travel book,the Sanctae Perigrinationes of 1486. This and other sources were used where possible; where no information wasavailable a number of stock images were used, and reused up to eleven times. The view of Florence was adaptedfrom an engraving by Francesco Rosselli.[3]

A privately held version of Nuremberg Chronicles was recently revealed when its owner brought the leaves forwardfor independent appraisal in Sandy, Utah.[4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anton_Kobergerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albrecht_D%C3%BCrerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lyonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Budapesthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Schedelsche_Weltchronik_d_122.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lion_fishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doodlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_Bottom_of_Page_(CCXVIIv).jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Wolgemuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Woodcuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albrecht_D%C3%BCrerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_Museumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erhard_Reuwichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Florencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francesco_Rossellihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sandy%2C_Utah

Nuremberg Chronicle 3

References[1] "About this book - Latin and German Editions" (http:/ / www. beloit. edu/ ~nurember/ inside/ about/ editions. htm), Beloit College Morse

Library[2] ,Giulia Bartrum, Albrecht Dürer and his Legacy, British Museum Press, 2002, pp. 94-96, ISBN 0-7141-2633-0[3] A Hyatt Mayor, Prints and People, Metropolitan Museum of Art/Princeton, 1971, nos 43 & 173.ISBN 0-691-00326-2[4] FOX 13 News Utah: "Appraisal event turns up extraordinary piece of history" (http:/ / www. fox13now. com/ news/ local/

kstu-nuremberg-chronicles-appraisal-event-turns-up-extraordinary-piece-of-history-20110409,0,2228535. story)

External links• Beloit College's extensive account of their version of the Chronicle, with illustrations (http:/ / www. beloit. edu/

nuremberg/ inside/ about/ index. htm)• the original woodcut world map (http:/ / lazarus. elte. hu/ ~zoltorok/ Cartartweb/ cartart_schedel. htm)• More views from the Metropolitan Museum's uncoloured copy: Rome, Nuremberg, saints (http:/ / www.

metmuseum. org/ toah/ hd/ prnt/ ho_1981. 1178. 29. htm)• Online images of an uncoloured copy (http:/ / www. mirroroftheworld. com. au/ inspiration/ printed/ nuremberg/

online. php) from the State Library of Victoria• Online full Latin coloured copy (http:/ / daten. digitale-sammlungen. de/ ~db/ 0003/ bsb00034024/ images/ index.

html?id=00034024& fip=151. 59. 152. 2& no=29& seite=1) from the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek• http:/ / www. smithandpress. com offers an English translation and printed reference copy of the Latin edition as

well as a full size facsimile.

http://www.beloit.edu/~nurember/inside/about/editions.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beloit_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metropolitan_Museum_of_Arthttp://www.fox13now.com/news/local/kstu-nuremberg-chronicles-appraisal-event-turns-up-extraordinary-piece-of-history-20110409,0,2228535.storyhttp://www.fox13now.com/news/local/kstu-nuremberg-chronicles-appraisal-event-turns-up-extraordinary-piece-of-history-20110409,0,2228535.storyhttp://www.beloit.edu/nuremberg/inside/about/index.htmhttp://www.beloit.edu/nuremberg/inside/about/index.htmhttp://lazarus.elte.hu/~zoltorok/Cartartweb/cartart_schedel.htmhttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/prnt/ho_1981.1178.29.htmhttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/prnt/ho_1981.1178.29.htmhttp://www.mirroroftheworld.com.au/inspiration/printed/nuremberg/online.phphttp://www.mirroroftheworld.com.au/inspiration/printed/nuremberg/online.phphttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=State_Library_of_Victoriahttp://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0003/bsb00034024/images/index.html?id=00034024&fip=151.59.152.2&no=29&seite=1http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0003/bsb00034024/images/index.html?id=00034024&fip=151.59.152.2&no=29&seite=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bayerische_Staatsbibliothekhttp://www.smithandpress.com

Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsNuremberg Chronicle  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=430987944  Contributors: 100110100, Adam Keller, Andrew Dalby, BanyanTree, CMBJ, CalJW, Captain Blood,Cbustapeck, Chris 73, Chronicler, Crazycomputers, DO'Neil, Dictionarium, Fryed-peach, Fæ, Gioto, Hseneff, Humblefool, Johnbod, König Alfons der Viertelvorzwölfte, Ledzeppelin21, Lloizzo,Lotje, Matthead, Mdd, Mimihitam, Mindmatrix, Paul August, Pe-Jo, Perceval, Polylerus, Raul654, Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ), SaturnCat, Schaengel89, SchuminWeb, Shimgray, Staffelde,Statelibraryvictoria, Terrytip, ThomasPusch, Tomisti, Twang, Vanished User 0001, 32 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributorsimage:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_f_4v.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_f_4v.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Hartmann SchedelImage:Schedel konstantinopel.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Schedel_konstantinopel.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Chris 73, G.dallorto, JMCC1, Kairios,Liondancer, ¡0-8-15!, 2 anonymous editsImage:Schedelsche Weltchronik d 122.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Schedelsche_Weltchronik_d_122.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Joergens.miImage:Nuremberg chronicles - Bottom of Page (CCXVIIv).jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_Bottom_of_Page_(CCXVIIv).jpg  License:Public Domain  Contributors: Chris 73, Liondancer, Pe-Jo

LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unportedhttp:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/

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