Catalog Archive
Auction 134, Lot 443

"Folium LLLXII [Lituania]", Schonsperger, Johann

Subject: Lithuania, Baltic

Period: 1497 (published)

Publication: Liber Chronicarum

Color: Hand Color

Size:
5.5 x 3.5 inches
14 x 8.9 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

This is an imaginary view of a Lithuanian walled city with many medieval towers and castles. On a full sheet (8.5 x 12.3") of Latin text. Hartmann Schedel's Nuremberg Chronicle, published in 1493, presented the history of the world in a pictorial encyclopedia. Among the illustrations were views of towns and cities throughout Europe and the Near East, and an enormous number of other subjects, including diagrams of the Creation, comets, family trees, portraits & biblical scenes. The folio Chronicle was very expensive and thus Johann Schonsperger, who specialized in reprints, saw the opportunity to publish a smaller and less costly version. He published German versions in 1496 & 1500 and a Latin version in 1497. These are often referred to as pirated editions because they were published without the consent of Schedel or the original printer, Anton Koberger.

References:

Condition: A

Estimate: $200 - $250

Sold for: $550

Closed on 12/1/2010

Archived