Biblia. Das ist: Die gantze heilige Schrifft Deudsch

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

Description

The two-volume Luther Bible printed on parchment originated from a collaboration between the printer Hans Lufft and the workshop of Lucas Cranach the Younger. It also contains entries written by Melanchthon, including a poem dated 1560: De monarchiis (About the monarchs). The book decoration is supplemented by the painted portraits of Luther and Melanchthon as well as the first owner Sigismund of Brandenburg. This last Archbishop of Magdeburg confirmed by the Pope tried to introduce the Reformation in the archbishopric. Such luxuriously decorated Bibles were popular objects of representation in the houses of the aristocracy and royal courts, who had adopted the Lutheran doctrine for their country. The book decoration consists of numerous coloured woodcuts from Lucas Cranach the Younger's workshop (using and copying older woodcuts too). The first volume contains three miniatures by Lucas Cranach the Younger, one of which dates back to 1560. The second volume contains just one miniature by Lucas Cranach the Younger, dated 1562. The Luther Bible was initially owned by Archbishop Sigismund of Brandenburg (1538-1566), whose portrait can be found in the first and second volume of the Bible. In 1568, the work came into the possession of the Dukes of Wittenberg and finally reached Munich in 1635 as spoils from the ducal library at Hohentübingen. Datum: 2019

Author

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books

Rights Statement Description

CC0