Chronicle of the World 1493: The Complete and Annotated Nuremberg Chronicle
This book is a large-format, high-quality facsimile (reprint) of the famous Nuremberg Chronicle, an encyclopedic illustrated world history originally published in 1493. It contains a wealth of detailed, early woodcut illustrations, including many of the first-known printed city views. It also includes an English-language introduction and appendix by Stephan Füssel.
Size: It’s a large book, often described as a large quarto (4to), making it a substantial volume.
The original work, the Liber Chronicarum (Book of Chronicles), more commonly known as the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493), is one of the most significant and ambitious printed books of the 15th century—a true landmark in the history of printing and illustration.
Historical significance:
1. A Monumental Feat of Early Printing (Incunabula)
- Scale and Complexity: Published in 1493 by Anton Koberger (godfather to Albrecht Dürer), it was the largest and most complex book production of its time (the “incunabula” period, c. 1450–1500). It successfully integrated a massive amount of text with complex, detailed illustrations.
- Print Run: The initial print run was remarkably large for the era (estimated at 1,400–1,500 Latin and 700–1,000 German copies), indicating a major commercial and intellectual enterprise.
- Integration of Text and Image: It was revolutionary in how it married the printed text with its 1,800+ woodcut illustrations. This harmonious combination created a model for future illustrated books and helped establish the standards of graphic design for the new printing industry.
2. The Great Visual Compendium of the World
- Massive Illustration Program: The book contained an unprecedented number of woodcut illustrations (about 645 original blocks were used to create 1,809 images by repetition and variation). These were created by Michael Wolgemut and Wilhelm Pleydenwurff, whose workshop famously employed a young Albrecht Dürer.
- First Printed City Views: It is most famous for featuring the first printed, recognizable views of many major European cities and towns, including:
- Nuremberg (which gets the only double-page spread without any text, presenting it as a “New Jerusalem”).
- Rome, Venice, Strasbourg, Basel, and others.
- While many views were stylized or even repeated for different cities, the more detailed ones remain invaluable historical records of late medieval urban architecture.
- Scope of Content: The images cover the biblical creation story, human history (secular and religious), legendary creatures (“monstrous races” from the edges of the known world), portraits of kings, emperors, popes, and famous scholars.
3. A Synthesis of History, Theology, and Humanism
- Universal Chronicle: Written by the physician and humanist Hartmann Schedel, the text chronicles the history of the world in seven ages, from the biblical Creation to the anticipated Last Judgment. It essentially sought to compile all known historical and geographical knowledge.
- Blending of Sources: Schedel drew heavily on his personal library, compiling passages from classical authors (like Pliny the Elder), medieval chronicles, and contemporary humanist texts. It was an example of how Renaissance scholars tried to fit “new” classical histories into their existing Christian framework.
- Nuremberg Pride: It served as a vehicle to promote the wealth and cultural importance of Nuremberg itself, a Free Imperial City and a center of trade and early German Humanism.
In summary, the Nuremberg Chronicle is celebrated not just as an impressive book, but as a cultural artifact that marks the transition from the manuscript age to the print age, setting new standards for book illustration and design while capturing the 15th-century Christian humanist view of world history.
