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Munich Wondrous Occurrences

Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany)

Nördlingen (Germany) — 1470

One of only a few surviving block books as a testimony to the early days of printing in Europe and the Christian fight for the prerogative of interpretation: Franz von Retz's theological defense of the immaculate conception of Mary

  1. Franciscus de Retza (c. 1343–1427) wrote this defense to refute the arguments of those who denied the virginity of Mary

  2. The theological treatise was printed in Nördlingen in 1470 as a block book with 59 woodcut illustrations

  3. Friedrich Walther and Hans Hürning were probably responsible for the expressive illustrations

Munich Wondrous Occurrences

Xylogr. 34 Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany)
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany)
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
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  1. Description
  2. Facsimile Editions (2)
Description
Munich Wondrous Occurrences

The Munich State Library preserves a wonderfully illustrated block book of Franciscus de Retza's or Franz von Retz's (c. 1343–1427) Defensorium inviolatae virginitatis beatae Mariae. Fifty-nine images accompany the defense treatise by the Dominican friar, theologian, and inquisitor, in which he refutes the arguments of those who questioned Mary's virginity at the time. Various stories from the Old Testament of the Christian Bible and ancient mythology, as well as the behavior of animals, are therefore referred to and visualized in small-format woodcut scenes. Each of the eight double pages was printed with only one l rge woodblock. They were then carefully colored by hand, mainly using red, minium, green, and ochre. This valuable block book, created in Nördlingen in 1470, was probably the work of the painter and illustrator Friedrich Walther together with the carpenter and xylograph Hans Hürning.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Von wundersamen Begebenheiten - Codex München
Defensorium immaculatae virginitatis
Size / Format
16 pages / 29.0 × 19.6 cm
Origin
Germany
Date
1470
Language
Latin
Script
Littera bastarda
Illustrations
60 colored woodcuts
Content
Defensorium inviolatae virginitatis beatae Mariae (Apology of the Immaculate Conception of Mary)
Artist / School
Previous Owners
Rott Abbey (?)
University Library Landshut
Available facsimile editions:
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany)
#1 Defensorium immaculatae virginitatis (Luxury edition)
Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1925
Limited Edition: 100 copies
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany)
#2 Defensorium immaculatae virginitatis
Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1925
Limited Edition: 500 copies
Facsimile Editions

#1 Defensorium immaculatae virginitatis (Luxury edition)

Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1925
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany)
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles

Publisher: Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1925
Limited Edition: 100 copies
Binding: Parchment
Commentary: 1 volume by Kurt Pfister
Language: German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Printed on handmade paper, hand-colored and bound in parchment.
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€
(1,000€ - 3,000€)
Inquire current price here or ask a different question

#2 Defensorium immaculatae virginitatis

Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1925
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany)
Munich Wondrous Occurrences – Insel Verlag – Xylogr. 34 – Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich, Germany) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles

Publisher: Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1925
Limited Edition: 500 copies
Commentary: 1 volume by Kurt Pfister
Language: German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Printed on handmade paper.
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