16th and 17th Century Artwork

 

Throughout the page that follows, we have presented some special examples of illustrations from a variety of

rare works from the 16th and 17th Century, including:

 

In many cases, these rare illustrations have contemporary or antique hand-colouring applied, but in some

examples, they are shown just as they were first published - in an uncoloured state.

 

 

Our Greeting Cards and Reproduction Prints

 

When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-in plates - in homage to the hand-crafted approach

typical of prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century.

 

Hand-finishing is used to replicate the visual appearance of a tipped-in plate and the images are presented on Ivory card

stock (in the case of colour illustrations) or White card stock (in the case of monotone illustrations) with an accompanying

envelope. We have left the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.

 

Should you wish to order Greeting Cards, Reproduction Prints or Posters from this suite of illustrations, we have provided

some options below. Ordering is as easy as selecting the "Add to Cart" feature below and following the prompts provided

with our Shopping Cart secured through PayPal. Multiple purchases will be consolidated by that feature and shipping and

handling costs to any destination in the world are accommodated by our flat-rate fee of US$20 for every US$200 worth

of purchases. Naturally, should you wish to discuss a customized purchase, we welcome your contact through

ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com.

 

In the meantime, however, enjoy perusing this wonderful selection of images.

 

 

Seel unnd heiligen Buch Kaiser Maximilians Altfordern

Images of the Saints Connected to the Royal Family of Maximilian

 

Seel unnd heiligen Buch Kaiser Maximilians Altfordern consists of 123 woodcuts prepared in the 16th Century

following a commission by Emperor, Maximilian I. While formerly thought to have been the exclusive work of

Hans Burgkmair (1473-1531), the woodcuts are now variously attributed to: Burgkmair and an additional two

artists closely associated with the Court of Maximilian, Leonard Beck (1480-1542) and Hans Schäuffelein

(1480-1540); or to Beck exclusively. The carvers associated with these images worked as a group under

Jost de Negker (also known as Jost Dienecker) in Augsberg in the Emperor's service.

 

Seel unnd heiligen Buch Kaiser Maximilians Altfordern is presented as an account of Maximilian's ancestry and is

based on the literary work of Jacob Mennel (1470-1526).

 

The woodblocks for Seel unnd heiligen Buch Kaiser Maximilians Altfordern were used for extremely low volume

pressings during the life of Maximilian. In the late-18th Century, Adam von Bartsch - a renowned scholar and

author - secured the surviving 119 original woodblocks for a further pressing under the title Images de saints et saintes

issus de la famille de l'Empereur Maximilien I  by Franz-Xavier Stockl of Vienna. It is from that pressing that these

images originate.

 

 

St Adalbert

 

This original monotone woodcut depicts St Adalbert, a

10th Century Bishop of Prgaue. Adalbert was instrumental

in converting Hungary to Christianity and was later

martyred during his attempts to convert Prussia

 

 

St Amelberge

 

This original monotone woodcut depicts St Amelberg, an

8th Century nun. Her relics lay at St Peter's in Ghent and

she is traditionally associated with Brabant - the shield held

by the putti to her left symbolises that connection

 

 

St Luce

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: ISCRFM M1 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: ISCRFM M2 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: ISCRFM M3 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: ISCRFM M1 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: ISCRFM M2 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: ISCRFM M3 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 
 

St Ulric

 

This original monotone woodcut depicts St Ulric, an

9th Century Bishop of Augsburg. His is known for

organizing resistance within Augsburg against an invading

Magyars force until relief provided by the arrival of

Emperor Otto I

 

 

St Ursula

 

This original monotone woodcut depicts St Ursula, a

3rd or 4th Century martyr. Reputedly the daughter of a

British Christian King, Ursula legend tells that she was

martyred in the company of her ladies-in-waiting by

Huns in Cologne after she refused to marry the Chieftain

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: ISCRFM M5 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: ISCRFM M5 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

  

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: ISCRFM M4 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: ISCRFM M5 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

  
 

St Madelberte

 

This coloured woodcut depicts St Madelberte, a late-7th and

early-8th Century Abbess of Maubeuge. She was educated in

the Monastery with her sister, Aldetrudis, and was the

3rd Abbess - after her aunt and her sister

 

 

St Silvaine

 

This coloured woodcut depicts St Silvaine, a late-4th and

early-5th Century Deacon. Tradition holds that Silvaine was

martyred by Vandals at Agedunum or Acitodunum (Ahun)

in 407

 

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: ISCRFM C1 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: ISCRFM C2 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

  

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: ISCRFM C1 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: ISCRFM C2 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

  

 

Der Weiß Kunig

The White King

 

Der Weiß Kunig - literally translated as The White King - was prepared in the 16th Century in an apparent

collaboration between at least four artists: Leonard Beck (1480-1542); Hans Burgkmair (1473-1531);

Hans Schäuffelein (1480-1540); and Hans Springinklee (1490-1540). Jost de Negker (also known as

Jost Dienecker) is among the artisans thought to have worked as engravers on the work. Also known

as The Life and Reign of Emperor Maximilian I, Der Weiß Kunig purports to provide a chronicle of the

life of the Emperor.

 

Der Weiß Kunig was written by Marx Treitzsaurwein following suggestions and dictation provided

directly by Emperor Maximilian I. The allegorical styling of the Emperor as The White King arose from

a variety of sources, including the clear symbolic correlations between 'white' and 'wisdom' and the

traditional white harness Emperor Maximilian I carried in tournaments and battles. Other rulers are

also represented allegorically throughout Der Weiß Kunig, including the King of France (The Blue King),

the Duke of Milan (The King of the Worm - a reference drawn from the Milanese coat of arms), and

the King of Hungary (The Green King).

 

 

Plate 140

How the Young White King and the Army

joined the Princes and, in doing so, increased

the glory of the Kingdom

 

This coloured woodcut depicts and event from

the year 1496

 

 

Plate 168

The perilous sea voyage undertaken

by Philip and Joanna

 

This coloured woodcut depicts an event from the year

1505, wherein the ships of the Castilian fleet - carrying

King Philip and Queen Joanna - were shipwreck on the

English Coast

 

 

Plate 175

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: WK C140 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: WK C168 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: WK C175 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: WK C140 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: WK C168 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: WK C175 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 
 

Plate 179

How the White King left the Green Kingdom

having suffered a loss of authority

 

This coloured woodcut depicts an event from the year

1499, wherein - following an unsuccessful campaign

against the Swiss - Maximilian ceded certain authority

under the Treaty of Basel

 

 Plate 203  

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: WK C179 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: WK C203 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

  

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: WK C179 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: WK C203 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

  

 

De rebus Gothorum

The Origin and Deeds of the Goths

 

De rebus Gothorum was composed by the 6th Century identity, Jordanes, and claimed to summarized the now

lost Libri XII De Rebus Gestis Gothorum written by Cassiodorus.

 

Jordanes' De rebus Gothorum was rediscovered in 1442 by the Italian humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini in

Vienna and what is termed the editio princeps was issued by Konrad Peutinger in 1515. De rebus Gothorum is

considered the only surviving source documenting the origin of the Goths. It is also important for its reference

to a campaign in Gaul involving Riothamus - referred to as "King of the Brettones" - a possible source of

inspiration for early Arthurian legends.

 

The Title Page to De rebus Gothorum includes an illustration by Hans Burgkmair depicting Alboinus (the King of

the Lombards and conqueror of Italy) in dialogue with Athanaric (the King of the Goths). The privilege issued to

Peutinger by Emperor Maximilian I is printed on the rear of that Title Page.

 

 

 

Title Page (illustration)

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: DRB C1 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

 

Detail (for reference)

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: DRB C1 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Bible

 

 

Complete Illustration

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: B C1 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

 

Detail (for reference)

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: B C1 12x18
Price: US$60.00

This coloured woodcut from a 16th Century Bible depicts a meteor shower and a solar eclipse.

The meteor shower is shown as stars descending from Heaven trailing fire and those witnessing the

events are depicted as awestruck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete Illustration

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching envelope)

Code: B C2 GC
Price: US$5.00

 

 

 

Detail (for reference)

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: B C2 12x18
Price: US$60.00

 

This coloured woodcut from a 16th Century Bible depicts a dragon with crowns, spouting water (not fire).

In the Heavens, God and Angels are shown.