DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28460#0195
170 Early German and Flemish Woodcuts.—Part I.
CHRIST BEARING THE CROSS.
Schr. 2302. See B 4 (1)
[f THE CRUCIFIXION WITH THE YIRGIN AND ST. JOHN.
(Reproduction.)
Schr. 2312. W.—B 6.
A reduced photograph of the original impression [422 x 325] in the Unirersity
Galleries, Oxford, from the Payne and Douce collections. Another impression, de-
scribed by Dibdin (“ Bibliographical Tour,” iii, Suppl, p. xxxiv) is in the Althorp (now
Rylands) collection. Both were originally bought from Baron Derschau at Nurem-
berg, who probably possessed the original plate.
There is no need here to enter into the question of the authenticity of the plate or
of the impressions, which is discussed at length by Willsh., i, p. 77. It is sufficient to
observe that the engraving has nothing whatever to do with the maniere cribl&e. There
are dots on the dark background, but they have not the regularity of form found in the
“ dotted ” prints, and the rest of the technique, as well as the style of ornament, is
utterly inconsistent with that process. Neither Willsh. nor Schr seems to have
observed that most of the lines are etched. That fact alone disposes of the possibility of
its being a work of the xv century, were that conceivable on other grounds. The
fact that not only is the inscription reversed, but the Virgin appears on the right (in
this case, the wrong) side, shows that the plate was intended for decorative purposes and
not for producing impressions. The photograph has therefore been placed with impres-
sions from a number of similar plates, ancient or modern, described by Willsh. in classes
A and E, in a volume apart from the series described in this catalogue. The plate
may well have been etched by the same hand as the “ Adam and Eve,” Willsh. E. 12,
which has the same dotted background, but is too obviously modern in drawing to
have been classed with the dotted prints of the xv century. The two plates have the
same ornamental border with curved lines.]
B 3.
THE CRUCIFIXION WITH THE VIRGIN AND ST. JOHN.
Schr. 2315 ; W. u. Z. 347. W.—B 5.
Christ’s head is bowed to 1., crowned with thorns, and surrounded by
;a floriated nimbus with short rays on the black disk with doublewhite rim.
He hangs on a veined Tau cross, which has ttt * Tt on a scroll raised
■slightly above the beam, and passing beyond the border of the print.
The end of the loin-cloth hangs loose on the r. side. The hands ancl feet
are fastened by long nails. The cross is supported by a number of blocks
of wood or stone, among which a skull is lying. The Yirgin stands 1.
with hands crossed upon her breast and gazing down, clad in a long
mantle with a hood over her head. Her inner robe is visible at the
bottom. Her feet are hidden. St. John stands r. with hands folded and
looks up at Christ. His head is bare. His mantle is gathered up and
hangs over his 1. arm, showing the tunic beneath. His feet are bare.
The ground is level and covered with grass and flowers. The background
is entirely covered by a diaper pattern, consisting of two sets of four-
petalled flowers, crossing each other diagonally and separated by lines, one
set of fiowers interrupting the lines at their intersection. The whole of
this pattern seems to be engraved and not punched out. The border is
composed of a black line, with a narrow white line within it.
[181 x 121.] Colours; green, yellow. The paper is stained and sligktly damaged.
The margin [5-13] is uucoloured, and bears a Latin MS. inscription at the top.
Purchased at the Weigel sale, 1872.
CHRIST BEARING THE CROSS.
Schr. 2302. See B 4 (1)
[f THE CRUCIFIXION WITH THE YIRGIN AND ST. JOHN.
(Reproduction.)
Schr. 2312. W.—B 6.
A reduced photograph of the original impression [422 x 325] in the Unirersity
Galleries, Oxford, from the Payne and Douce collections. Another impression, de-
scribed by Dibdin (“ Bibliographical Tour,” iii, Suppl, p. xxxiv) is in the Althorp (now
Rylands) collection. Both were originally bought from Baron Derschau at Nurem-
berg, who probably possessed the original plate.
There is no need here to enter into the question of the authenticity of the plate or
of the impressions, which is discussed at length by Willsh., i, p. 77. It is sufficient to
observe that the engraving has nothing whatever to do with the maniere cribl&e. There
are dots on the dark background, but they have not the regularity of form found in the
“ dotted ” prints, and the rest of the technique, as well as the style of ornament, is
utterly inconsistent with that process. Neither Willsh. nor Schr seems to have
observed that most of the lines are etched. That fact alone disposes of the possibility of
its being a work of the xv century, were that conceivable on other grounds. The
fact that not only is the inscription reversed, but the Virgin appears on the right (in
this case, the wrong) side, shows that the plate was intended for decorative purposes and
not for producing impressions. The photograph has therefore been placed with impres-
sions from a number of similar plates, ancient or modern, described by Willsh. in classes
A and E, in a volume apart from the series described in this catalogue. The plate
may well have been etched by the same hand as the “ Adam and Eve,” Willsh. E. 12,
which has the same dotted background, but is too obviously modern in drawing to
have been classed with the dotted prints of the xv century. The two plates have the
same ornamental border with curved lines.]
B 3.
THE CRUCIFIXION WITH THE VIRGIN AND ST. JOHN.
Schr. 2315 ; W. u. Z. 347. W.—B 5.
Christ’s head is bowed to 1., crowned with thorns, and surrounded by
;a floriated nimbus with short rays on the black disk with doublewhite rim.
He hangs on a veined Tau cross, which has ttt * Tt on a scroll raised
■slightly above the beam, and passing beyond the border of the print.
The end of the loin-cloth hangs loose on the r. side. The hands ancl feet
are fastened by long nails. The cross is supported by a number of blocks
of wood or stone, among which a skull is lying. The Yirgin stands 1.
with hands crossed upon her breast and gazing down, clad in a long
mantle with a hood over her head. Her inner robe is visible at the
bottom. Her feet are hidden. St. John stands r. with hands folded and
looks up at Christ. His head is bare. His mantle is gathered up and
hangs over his 1. arm, showing the tunic beneath. His feet are bare.
The ground is level and covered with grass and flowers. The background
is entirely covered by a diaper pattern, consisting of two sets of four-
petalled flowers, crossing each other diagonally and separated by lines, one
set of fiowers interrupting the lines at their intersection. The whole of
this pattern seems to be engraved and not punched out. The border is
composed of a black line, with a narrow white line within it.
[181 x 121.] Colours; green, yellow. The paper is stained and sligktly damaged.
The margin [5-13] is uucoloured, and bears a Latin MS. inscription at the top.
Purchased at the Weigel sale, 1872.