DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28460#0314
Division A.—School of Nuremberg.—Dilrer.
283
tion; in the third, the curious expression “ deus igneus” doubtless contains au allusion
to the empyrean, tlie outermost heaven or sphere of pure fire, whiclr was regarded iu
the medifeval, semi-pagan scheme of tlie universe, partly derived from Aristotle, as in a
special sense the ahode of God.1
24a. PHILOSOPHY. B. 130. H. 2063. R. 48.
Another impression, well printed, but slightly mutilated and restored on 1. side aud
below, so that the last lino of the inscription is lost. No text on the back. A similar
“ Sonderabdruck ” is mentioned by Ruland (Naumann's Arcldv, ii, 255). The impres-
sion cannot be derived from “Guntherus Ligurinus de Gestis Friderici” (Augsburg,
E. Oeglin, April, 1507; fol ), edited by C'eltis, in which the cut was used for the second
time, for the leaf, L. 6, on the recto of wliich the cut occurs, has text on thc verso.
Yery slight margin. No watermark.
Purchased from Mr. Lauser, 1887.
25. TTIE BOOK-PLATE OF WILIBALD PIRKHEIMER.
B. app. 52. H. 2139. R. 50.
On two boughs, whicli spring from the lower corners ancl form an
arcli in the centre, stand two angels supporting the helm and crest of
Pirkheimer, and two shields with the Pirkheimer and Rieter arms (1. a
birch-tree for Pirkheimer, r. a crowned siren or mermaid for Rieter).
Over the angels and crest are the words sibi et amicis. p. At the sides
are ribands twisted and tied in the form of cornucopias, filled at the top
with grapes, on which two genii stand. The latter hold the ends of two
garlands of leaves and grapes, which are suspended from the skull of an
animal in the middle. Below the two shields is a group of three genii.
Two of these are armed, one with a child’s whirligig, the other with a
turnip and a turtle’s carapace : they are driving off a third, of whom only
the head and wings are seen. At the foot, in a space between the clesign
itself and the border, are the words liber bilibaldi pirckiieimer, with a
line below them. Single border. [152 x 118.]
Attached to the top of the print is the inscription, inicivm sapientiae
timor domini, with its equivalents in Hebrew and Greek, printed from a
separate block [18 X 119]. Later impressions lack this inscription.
Good impression, heavily inked, witkout watermark or margin. Presented by
W. Mitcliell, Esq., 1895.
Two other early impressions of this cut are in the Franks collection of book-plates.
One has the watermark Ha. 4, the otlier, without watermarlr, is damaged.
The woodcutis unsigned, and Bartscli hesitated to attribute it to DLirer. There can
be little doubt, however, that it was designed by him, for, apart frorn the probability
that Pirkheimer would apply to Dtirer for a book-plate, the style and execution of the
cut are tkoroughly in keeping with Durer’s work of the same date. Pirkheimer (1470-
1530) married Crescentia Rieter in 1497; she died 17 May, 1504 (Heller, pp. 67, 218;
not 1503 as stated on p. 810). The book-plate is to be compared especially witli P. 217
(above, no. 23). The genii, the boughs, the riband-cornucopias are closely alike in
both (c/. Thausing, i, 272-3, and Retberg, no. 50). Dtirer probably designed both works
about 1500. Heller desciibes the three objects inserted in the plaited wreath on the
man’s head in the crest as bircli leaves. This is correct; but, at the same time,
tlie resemblance to the crown of thorns and three nails of tlie Passion can hardly be
accidental. ITeller has overlooked the scourge with three thongs held by one of the
angel supporters.
The book-plate is reproduced in Warnecke, “ Die Doutschen Biicherzeichen,” 1890,
Taf. iv. (nos. 1583-4 in tlie text), and in the same writer’s “ Btickerzeichen des xv. u,
xvi. Jahrhunderts,” 1894, Taf. 42 (reduced). See also, on this woodcut, A. Grcnser in
tlie Ileraldisch-genealogisclie Zeitschrift, ii, 87 (Vienna, 1872).
Dei summum habitaculum ” (Reisch).
283
tion; in the third, the curious expression “ deus igneus” doubtless contains au allusion
to the empyrean, tlie outermost heaven or sphere of pure fire, whiclr was regarded iu
the medifeval, semi-pagan scheme of tlie universe, partly derived from Aristotle, as in a
special sense the ahode of God.1
24a. PHILOSOPHY. B. 130. H. 2063. R. 48.
Another impression, well printed, but slightly mutilated and restored on 1. side aud
below, so that the last lino of the inscription is lost. No text on the back. A similar
“ Sonderabdruck ” is mentioned by Ruland (Naumann's Arcldv, ii, 255). The impres-
sion cannot be derived from “Guntherus Ligurinus de Gestis Friderici” (Augsburg,
E. Oeglin, April, 1507; fol ), edited by C'eltis, in which the cut was used for the second
time, for the leaf, L. 6, on the recto of wliich the cut occurs, has text on thc verso.
Yery slight margin. No watermark.
Purchased from Mr. Lauser, 1887.
25. TTIE BOOK-PLATE OF WILIBALD PIRKHEIMER.
B. app. 52. H. 2139. R. 50.
On two boughs, whicli spring from the lower corners ancl form an
arcli in the centre, stand two angels supporting the helm and crest of
Pirkheimer, and two shields with the Pirkheimer and Rieter arms (1. a
birch-tree for Pirkheimer, r. a crowned siren or mermaid for Rieter).
Over the angels and crest are the words sibi et amicis. p. At the sides
are ribands twisted and tied in the form of cornucopias, filled at the top
with grapes, on which two genii stand. The latter hold the ends of two
garlands of leaves and grapes, which are suspended from the skull of an
animal in the middle. Below the two shields is a group of three genii.
Two of these are armed, one with a child’s whirligig, the other with a
turnip and a turtle’s carapace : they are driving off a third, of whom only
the head and wings are seen. At the foot, in a space between the clesign
itself and the border, are the words liber bilibaldi pirckiieimer, with a
line below them. Single border. [152 x 118.]
Attached to the top of the print is the inscription, inicivm sapientiae
timor domini, with its equivalents in Hebrew and Greek, printed from a
separate block [18 X 119]. Later impressions lack this inscription.
Good impression, heavily inked, witkout watermark or margin. Presented by
W. Mitcliell, Esq., 1895.
Two other early impressions of this cut are in the Franks collection of book-plates.
One has the watermark Ha. 4, the otlier, without watermarlr, is damaged.
The woodcutis unsigned, and Bartscli hesitated to attribute it to DLirer. There can
be little doubt, however, that it was designed by him, for, apart frorn the probability
that Pirkheimer would apply to Dtirer for a book-plate, the style and execution of the
cut are tkoroughly in keeping with Durer’s work of the same date. Pirkheimer (1470-
1530) married Crescentia Rieter in 1497; she died 17 May, 1504 (Heller, pp. 67, 218;
not 1503 as stated on p. 810). The book-plate is to be compared especially witli P. 217
(above, no. 23). The genii, the boughs, the riband-cornucopias are closely alike in
both (c/. Thausing, i, 272-3, and Retberg, no. 50). Dtirer probably designed both works
about 1500. Heller desciibes the three objects inserted in the plaited wreath on the
man’s head in the crest as bircli leaves. This is correct; but, at the same time,
tlie resemblance to the crown of thorns and three nails of tlie Passion can hardly be
accidental. ITeller has overlooked the scourge with three thongs held by one of the
angel supporters.
The book-plate is reproduced in Warnecke, “ Die Doutschen Biicherzeichen,” 1890,
Taf. iv. (nos. 1583-4 in tlie text), and in the same writer’s “ Btickerzeichen des xv. u,
xvi. Jahrhunderts,” 1894, Taf. 42 (reduced). See also, on this woodcut, A. Grcnser in
tlie Ileraldisch-genealogisclie Zeitschrift, ii, 87 (Vienna, 1872).
Dei summum habitaculum ” (Reisch).