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The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday

The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday – Prestel Verlag – OS 372 – Museum Otto Schäfer (Schweinfurt, Germany)

Southern Germany — Ca. 1450

Ubiquitous in Western medieval literature and still very influential for the works of William Shakespeare: the last fortnight of this world

  1. This printed German work belongs to the first of three blockbook editions and was created between 1450 and 1467

  2. It is a rare chiro-xylographic codex that combines printed woodcuts with a handwritten text

  3. 68 delicately colored woodcuts, most arranged into two registers, illustrate the end of the world as we know it

The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday

OS 372 Museum Otto Schäfer (Schweinfurt, Germany)
The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday – Prestel Verlag – OS 372 – Museum Otto Schäfer (Schweinfurt, Germany)
The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday – Prestel Verlag – OS 372 – Museum Otto Schäfer (Schweinfurt, Germany) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
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  1. Description
  2. Facsimile Editions (1)
Description
The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday

A popular theme of medieval millenarianism, the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday is a list of events that are supposed to occur during the fortnight preceding the end of the world and originate from the apocryphal Apocalypse of Thomas. References to the Fifteen Signs permeate Western medieval literature and influenced the works of William Shakespeare, who supposedly read an Anglo-Norman version from the 14th century. This printed German work was written by an unknown Bavarian author ca. 1440–50 and belongs to the first of three blockbook editions, which was created between 1450 and 1467, probably in Nuremberg. 68 delicately colored woodcuts, most arranged in two registers, illustrate the frightening and exciting events of the final two weeks of the world as we know it. Unlike the two succeeding editions, the text of this chiro-xylographic codex was written by hand. It is thus numbered among the rare blockbooks created during the second half of the 15th century that combines printed woodcuts with handwritten text.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Der Antichrist und die fünfzehn Zeichen vor dem Jüngsten Gericht
Size / Format
40 pages / 29.7 × 21.5 cm
Origin
Germany
Date
Ca. 1450
Language
German
Illustrations
68 colored woodcuts
Available facsimile editions:
The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday – Prestel Verlag – OS 372 – Museum Otto Schäfer (Schweinfurt, Germany)
#1 Der Antichrist und die fünfzehn Zeichen vor dem Jüngsten Gericht. Faksimile-Ausgabe des einzigen erhaltenen chiroxylographischen Blockbuches
Prestel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1970
Limited Edition: 650 copies
Facsimile Editions

#1 Der Antichrist und die fünfzehn Zeichen vor dem Jüngsten Gericht. Faksimile-Ausgabe des einzigen erhaltenen chiroxylographischen Blockbuches

Prestel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1970
The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday – Prestel Verlag – OS 372 – Museum Otto Schäfer (Schweinfurt, Germany)
The Antichrist and the Fifteen Signs before Doomsday – Prestel Verlag – OS 372 – Museum Otto Schäfer (Schweinfurt, Germany) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles

Publisher: Prestel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1970
Limited Edition: 650 copies
Binding: 2 volumes in slipcase
Commentary: 1 volume by Georg Schübel
Language: German
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€
(1,000€ - 3,000€)
Inquire current price here or ask a different question
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