Preussen

Article description

Woodcut published in the so-called pirate edition of the ,small Schedel' in Augsburg in 1500. German text edition. This woodcut illustration shows a combination of a landscape and a town related to Prussia. The woodcut is titled ,Preussen'. The page includes historical and descriptive text to this region. These woodcuts can be regarded as the earliest obtainable schematic scenes with medieval towns, rivers and mountains scenes. An excellent example of this rare woodcut illustration. Originally the Nuremberg Chronicle by Hartmann Schedel was published 1493 in Nürnberg. After the great success of this first illustrated description of the world, Johann Schönsperger published February 1st, 1497 in Augsburg a pirate edition of the Nuremberg chronicle. A Latin edition in 1497 and a German text edition in 1500. It was also illustrated with approximately 1800 woodcuts in text after M. Wolgemut and W. Pleydenwurff. The size of this pirate edition was reduced to approximately 2/3 of its original size.