DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28460#0573
5JL2
Early German ancl Flemish Woodcuts.—Part II.
The broadside contains eight small woodcuts [85 X 130], arranged in
two columns of four each, and a larger one in the middle [270 X 228],
under which the text is printed (see diagram).
(1) Kunigunda paying masons
engaged in building the church
of St. Stephen at Bamberg.
(2) The clevil brings Kuni-
gunda into suspicion of unchastity.
(3) Kuniguncla clenies the
charge before the Emperor.
(4) At the bidding of the
Virgin she undertakes to submit
to ordeal by fire.
(5) The ordeal; Kunigunda
walks on hot ploughshares
(coloured red). Large cut sur-
rounded by an ornamental borcler ; the date 1509 is on a tablet in the
r. lower corner.
(6) Henry’s deatli. St. Michael weighs his soul; devils try to drag
down their side of the balance, but St. Laurence puts into the scale on
Henry’s sicle a chalice given by the latter to a church of St. Laurence.1
(Half of tlre block, with SS. Laurence and Michael, is at Berlin.)
(7) The wiclowecl empress takes the veil. (The block is at Berlin.)
(8) Ller death.
(9) SS. Henry ancl Kunigunda as founders ancl patrons of Bamberg
Cathedral. (There is a separate impression of this c-ut at Dresden.)
Dr. Giehlow clrew my attention to tliis broadside, in 1900, as a certain work of
Traut. Numerous analogies may be found in it witli Traut’s woodcuts, recognised and
unrecognised, of all dates down to 1512, at least. Tbe resemblance to the illustrations
of the Life of St. Francis is the most obvious. I would also call attention to St.
Michael, to be compared with the same saint in the “ Ars Moriendi,” 1512; to tlie
courtier to 1. of St. Henry, in the ordeal scene, who resembles Locher in the third cut
of his “ Comparatio,” 1506 ; and to the ornament round tlie large cut, which may be
matched, for instance, by the foliage in the heraldic cut dated 1512 (no. 4), and on the
broadside with the Man of Sorrows and the Mater Dolorosa.
Traut repeated some of these compositions, especially nos. (1) and (5), in woodcuts
of a different shape and iuferior execution, which illustrate the “ Legend of St. Henry,”
printed by Pfeyl at Bamberg in 1511 (see p. 507, no. 10).
t CHHIST ON THE CEOSS, WITH THE YIEGIN AND ST. JOHN. 1509.
(Eeproduction.)
See p. 351 for all particulars. In spite of certain difficulties (chief of which is the
good quality of the work), I incline, on the whole, to attribute this woodcut to Traut.
His habit of recording the date, the method of drawing the trees, and the grass rormd
the vine-stems which grow out of vases in the border, are the strongest points in favour
of the attribution.
2. TTIE INFANT CHEIST AND THE FOUE EVANGELISTS.
[128 x 98.] Fair impression, on title-page of “ Manuale Parro | chialium Sacer-
dotum.” J. Wcissenburger, Landshut, 22 December, 1513; 4to.
Presented by Sir A. Wollaston Franks, K.C.B., 1895.
See p. 506, no. 6, for description 'and history of the block.
A cut of the same subject was used in various editions of “Postilla Guillermi,”
printed by Furter at Bnsle before 1500. See Weisbach, “ Die Baseler Buchi]lustration,”
p. 49, no. 63, and p. 67.
1 This subjcct occurs in scvcral series of paintings tliat relate the legend of St.
Laurence. See Mrs. Jameson’s “ Sacred and Legendary Art,” p. 323.
1
5
6
2
7
3
8
4
Text
9
Early German ancl Flemish Woodcuts.—Part II.
The broadside contains eight small woodcuts [85 X 130], arranged in
two columns of four each, and a larger one in the middle [270 X 228],
under which the text is printed (see diagram).
(1) Kunigunda paying masons
engaged in building the church
of St. Stephen at Bamberg.
(2) The clevil brings Kuni-
gunda into suspicion of unchastity.
(3) Kuniguncla clenies the
charge before the Emperor.
(4) At the bidding of the
Virgin she undertakes to submit
to ordeal by fire.
(5) The ordeal; Kunigunda
walks on hot ploughshares
(coloured red). Large cut sur-
rounded by an ornamental borcler ; the date 1509 is on a tablet in the
r. lower corner.
(6) Henry’s deatli. St. Michael weighs his soul; devils try to drag
down their side of the balance, but St. Laurence puts into the scale on
Henry’s sicle a chalice given by the latter to a church of St. Laurence.1
(Half of tlre block, with SS. Laurence and Michael, is at Berlin.)
(7) The wiclowecl empress takes the veil. (The block is at Berlin.)
(8) Ller death.
(9) SS. Henry ancl Kunigunda as founders ancl patrons of Bamberg
Cathedral. (There is a separate impression of this c-ut at Dresden.)
Dr. Giehlow clrew my attention to tliis broadside, in 1900, as a certain work of
Traut. Numerous analogies may be found in it witli Traut’s woodcuts, recognised and
unrecognised, of all dates down to 1512, at least. Tbe resemblance to the illustrations
of the Life of St. Francis is the most obvious. I would also call attention to St.
Michael, to be compared with the same saint in the “ Ars Moriendi,” 1512; to tlie
courtier to 1. of St. Henry, in the ordeal scene, who resembles Locher in the third cut
of his “ Comparatio,” 1506 ; and to the ornament round tlie large cut, which may be
matched, for instance, by the foliage in the heraldic cut dated 1512 (no. 4), and on the
broadside with the Man of Sorrows and the Mater Dolorosa.
Traut repeated some of these compositions, especially nos. (1) and (5), in woodcuts
of a different shape and iuferior execution, which illustrate the “ Legend of St. Henry,”
printed by Pfeyl at Bamberg in 1511 (see p. 507, no. 10).
t CHHIST ON THE CEOSS, WITH THE YIEGIN AND ST. JOHN. 1509.
(Eeproduction.)
See p. 351 for all particulars. In spite of certain difficulties (chief of which is the
good quality of the work), I incline, on the whole, to attribute this woodcut to Traut.
His habit of recording the date, the method of drawing the trees, and the grass rormd
the vine-stems which grow out of vases in the border, are the strongest points in favour
of the attribution.
2. TTIE INFANT CHEIST AND THE FOUE EVANGELISTS.
[128 x 98.] Fair impression, on title-page of “ Manuale Parro | chialium Sacer-
dotum.” J. Wcissenburger, Landshut, 22 December, 1513; 4to.
Presented by Sir A. Wollaston Franks, K.C.B., 1895.
See p. 506, no. 6, for description 'and history of the block.
A cut of the same subject was used in various editions of “Postilla Guillermi,”
printed by Furter at Bnsle before 1500. See Weisbach, “ Die Baseler Buchi]lustration,”
p. 49, no. 63, and p. 67.
1 This subjcct occurs in scvcral series of paintings tliat relate the legend of St.
Laurence. See Mrs. Jameson’s “ Sacred and Legendary Art,” p. 323.
1
5
6
2
7
3
8
4
Text
9