Aquileya / der Werlt Blat LI

Title

Aquileya / der Werlt Blat LI

Description

Depiction of the town of Aquileia near Udine in Italy; the reverse side shows a depiction of the town of Treviso in Veneto. Printed by Anton Koberger in Nuremberg in 1493.

ca. 1493

Artist

Schedel (1440-1515)

Hartmann Schedel (1440–1515) from Nuremberg is best known for the 1493 publication of the Schedel’s World Chronicle (Liber chronicarum), a universal history featuring 1,809 woodcuts—making it the most richly illustrated book of early printing. The chronicle, written in Latin by Schedel for merchants Sebald Schreyer and Sebastian Kammermeister, was translated into German by Georg Alt and printed by Anton Koberger. The illustrations came from the workshop of Michael Wolgemut and Wilhelm Pleydenwurff. The work covers world history up to 1492/93, divided into eight ages of the world, and draws on numerous sources, including Jacobus Foresta and Enea Silvio Piccolomini. Notably, it features highly accurate city views, many depicted in detail for the first time. Pleydenwurff introduced a new perspective by portraying cities from a fixed viewpoint, emphasizing their unique architectural and landscape features. The project was funded in part by the patron Sebald Schreyer.

Historical Description

Aquileia is located in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in northeastern Italy, about 10 km (6 miles) from the Adriatic Sea and approximately 35 km (22 miles) west of Trieste. Aquileia was founded by the Romans in 181 BC as a military colony and developed into one of the largest and most important cities of the Roman Empire. Thanks to its strategic location, Aquileia became a major trading center linking Italy with the Balkans and the Danube regions.