Textbook for Emperor Maximilian

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Vindob. 2368 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)

Vienna (Austria) — Around 1466

The first textbook for the "last knight": the future emperor's golden miniatures for the Our Father and Hail Mary

  1. This rare, masterfully illuminated primer helped educate the future Emperor Maximilian I (1459–1519)

  2. Maximilian went on to become one of the greatest patrons and collectors of art in history

  3. Prayers such as the Our Father and Hail Mary were learned by the young heir to the throne with the help of beautiful miniatures

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian

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  1. Description
  2. Detail Picture
  3. Single Page
  4. Facsimile Editions (2)
Description
Textbook for Emperor Maximilian

Rarely is world history so palpable as in this codex, which an emperor used to learn how to read and write: Maximilian I (1459–1519) led the Habsburgs to become the most powerful dynasty in Europe and went down in history as the "last knight" and father of the Landsknechte. However, even the most powerful man in Europe had to learn to read and write first. The viewer of this magnificently adorned manuscript can therefore look over the shoulder of the seven-year-old as he first learned the alphabet and then the Pater noster. In its historiated "P" initial, one can see little Maximilian eagerly deciphering the first letters with his finger together with his teacher, Jakob von Fladnitz. This and the 13 other opaque color miniatures of the historiated initials were intended to motivate the young ruler and, together with the rest of the creative design, such as the borders, also offer today's viewer a great delight.

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian

In the Middle ages, the basic subject matter in teaching was usually arranged with handwriting on simple blackboards, foldable paper boards, or even un-illustrated workbooks. Textbooks, richly decorated with miniatures, with a few exceptions, are exceedingly rare. One of the most valuable is the splendidly illuminated codex from Vienna, that is associated with the famous name of Maximilian I. From this school book, written about 1466 by the Imperial Chancellor Wolfgang Spitzweg, the young Emperor learned his ABC's and prayers such as the Our Father, Ave Maria, and more as well as jingles in the Latin and German languages: in short, all the basic contents of the medieval syllabus. The manuscript is the oldest copy of a group of three known textbooks that were specifically prepared for Maximilian and were all from the same master illuminator. In contrast to the author, the illuminator has remained anonymous. The colorful miniatures, richly decorated with gold, the illuminated initials, the genre scenes, and the religious representations show narrow references to the manorial student. From the beginning, we see Maximilian in one-on-one instruction with one of his teachers; when saying grace, the young prince always appears at table.

Inspired by Illumination at an Early Age

The cultural and historic meaning of the textbook to Maximilian I cannot be determined with sufficient accuracy. History highlights Maximilian I as being "the last knight and the first mercenary", and it is with this book that the versatilely gifted prince, under whom the Hapsburgs rose to be the mightiest dynasty of Europe, learned to read. The exquisite artistic production of this parchment manuscript was the first contact the young Maximilian had with illumination. It so excited him in its vitality that he became a major sponsor of the genre in later years. The manuscript features 14 miniatures inside of initials with polished gold backgrounds, each of which introduces a new section. Its floral frames feature a multitude of leafy tendrils, flowers, insects, animals, and people, indicating that it was the work of a very talented master. This illuminator has remained anonymous, but its author is known with certainty to be Wolfgang Spitzweg, an imperial clerk. Nonetheless, this work planted the artistic seed in young Maximilian, who would grow into one of the greatest art patrons of his day.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Lehrbuch für Kaiser Maximilian I.
Liber in usum et instructionem Maximiliani filii Friderici III. imperatoris alphabetum, oratio dominica, preces latino-germanicae
Lehrbüchlein Maximilians I.
Size / Format
54 pages / 28.4 × 21.4 cm
Origin
Austria
Date
Around 1466
Style
Illustrations
14 historiated initials
Patron
Stephan Heuner
Artist / School

Available facsimile editions:
Textbook for Emperor Maximilian – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Vindob. 2368 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Graz, 2005
Limited Edition: 50 copies

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Vindob. 2368 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Graz, 2005
Limited Edition: 430 copies
Detail Picture

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian

Young Maximilian at Prayer

This gorgeous pink historiated “O” initial with acanthus leaf décor was framed by glimmering gold leaf with a very finely embossed pattern. It contains a miniature of Prince Maximilian participating in mass, shown kneeling at the altar with a fine golden chalice alongside a tonsured priest who is dressed in elaborate vestments. Maximilian is depicted with long, flowing blond locks of hair and his pious expression might easily be interested by a modern beholder as boredom.

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Vindob. 2368 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Single Page

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian

Alphabet / Our Father Page

The opening page of this rare manuscript is framed by gorgeous flowering tendrils of red, green, and blue with a heron on the left margin and a face hidden at the bottom. At the top we see the Prince’s escutcheons: the red-and-white stripes of the Hapsburgs (right); the castles, shields, and fleur-de-lys of his Portuguese mother (left); the double-headed Reichsadler or Imperial Eagle (center).

We see the alphabet with several examples of the lowercase letter “a” above, while the rest of the page has the Our Father in Latin. It is adorned by the first of the manuscript’s 14 perfect historiated initials. The Prince is depicted in several of these with flowing blonde locks of hair, and in this case is wearing green-gold brocade and seated next to his tutor, dressed in red.

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Vindob. 2368 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Facsimile Editions

#1 Das Lehrbuch für Kaiser Maximilian (Real Gold Edition)

Limited Edition: 50 copies
Binding: Two-color leather binding with hand-stitching on the spine
Commentary: 1 volume (104 pages) by Karl-Georg Pfändtner, Alois Haidinger
Language: German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding. All folios are cut according to the original.
Price Category: €€€ (3,000€ - 7,000€)
Edition available
Price: Log in here!

#2 Das Lehrbuch für Kaiser Maximilian (Normal Edition)

Textbook for Emperor Maximilian – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Vindob. 2368 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Textbook for Emperor Maximilian – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Vindob. 2368 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles

Limited Edition: 430 copies
Binding: Two-color leather binding with hand-stitching on the spine
Commentary: 1 volume (104 pages) by Karl-Georg Pfändtner, Alois Haidinger
Language: German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding. All folios are cut according to the original.
Price Category: €€ (1,000€ - 3,000€)
Edition available
Price: Log in here!
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