Quinta etas Mundi

Title

Quinta etas Mundi

Representation od Syrian kings and the genealogy of Matathias, on reverse the genealogy of Apius Claudius, Latin text

ca. 1495

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

The works printed with movable type in the early days of letterpress printing between the completion of the Gutenberg Bible in 1454 are known as incunabula or cradle prints. Letterpress printing had been known in Germany since 1400, the hand-operated printing press for printing playing cards and broadsheets, for example, already existed in the mid-15th century. Images predominated on block book pages; negative cutting of the letters was difficult and the text was usually inserted by hand. The wooden printing block only allowed for a comparatively small print run. In terms of format, typography and illustration, cradle prints were initially characterized by the appearance of medieval manuscripts, which changed to modern book printing with technical and economic developments from the beginning of the 16th century. They were produced by named printers who distributed their products themselves (later also through booksellers). Incunabula are evidence of the beginning of the technically supported distribution of written material in Europe and a valuable cultural asset. Peter Schöffer, who had assisted Gutenberg in printing, recognized the possibilities of commercially exploiting the new technology of letter production. In Johannes Fust, a wealthy citizen of Mainz, he found a fellow campaigner who was prepared to invest money in letterpress printing. Following the example of Mainz, the new technology spread throughout Europe within around 30 years, with printing workshops called “Offizinen” springing up everywhere with their own trademarks.