Das Leben unsers erledigers Jesu Christi , Neurenberg, Johann Stuches, 1514.

(The Life of our Saviour Jesus Christ - Nuremberg, Johann Stuchs, 18 February)

One of the most beautiful early illustrated 'Lives of Christ' in German, attributed to the Observant Franciscan Daniel Meyer.

Nuremberg, printed by Johann Stuchs for Caspar Rosentaler of Schwaz, dated in colophon 18 February 1514. 193 leaves in Gothic type, describing the life of Christ and the Virgin from Nativity to Ascension, with devotional meditations. With title-page woodcut of St. Francis.

Complete with all 64 woodcuts by Wolf Traut (pupil of Albrecht Dürer), in contemporary hand-colouring. Contemporary red rubricated initials throughout. Dim.: 20 x 15 x 4 cm

Printed on strong early 16th-century laid rag paper ('Hadern-papier'), made from linen rags. Clearly visible chain lines and laid lines. Watermark photographed: Gothic letter 'P' with a flower / blossom on top (Briquet type P, common for Nuremberg paper mills around 1512-1515). The watermark is visible in the centre of the sheet when held to light, confirming the paper is contemporary to the printing.

Pigments & Colouring:  Contemporary convent workshop colouring, applied within 1-2 years after printing. Identified pigments: 'Azurite blue' (natural copper blue), 'Verdigris green' (copper green), 'Vermilion / Minium red' (mercury and lead red), and 'Saffron yellow' (organic yellow). Applied as thin watercolour washes with stencils, with characteristic slight bleeding outside the woodcut lines. Foxing and browning spots lie over the colour, proving the colouring is original and not later.

Binding: Original early 16th-century binding, ca. 1514-1525. Brown calf over wooden boards, richly blind-tooled with roll-stamps, original brass clasps are gone. Some wear consistent with age.

Provenance: Old ownership of the Capuchin monastery of Munich (17th-century manuscript note on flyleaf: "Liber antiquissimus thesaurus spiritualis...").

Condition: Paper slightly browned with some occasional staining and old annotations, interior otherwise excellent !  Bright coloring of woodcuts.  Binding solid. Lacks 2 leaves (4 text pages of preface), just before register, otherwise complete (can be added in facsimile) In first binding and in contemporary colouring with documented watermark.

A rare, complete and unrestored devotional book from the circle of Dürer, with original materials fully preserved.

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