Von Kernten / Blat CCLXXV

Title

Von Kernten / Blat CCLXXV

Description

View shows the imaginary representation of a city in Carinthia, Austria; above it are the text sections “Von Krayn” (Carniola, a historical region in modern-day Slovenia) as well as the beginning of “Von der gegent Hystria” (Istria). The reverse side describes the geography, cities, and history of the Duchy of Carinthia.

ca. 1493

Artist

Schedel Hartman (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.