Dürer’s „Kupferstich-Passion“ in Breathtaking Illumination by Hieronymus Oertl: a German Manuscript on Vellum, signed and dated 1587

Illuminated manuscript on vellum. Inserted: all 16 copper engravings by Albrecht Dürer for his „Passion“ series, dated 1507-1513, plus the engraving „Maria mit dem Kinde am Baum“, dated 1513. 20 leaves, 2 blank leaves. These 17 engravings are here illuminated by Hieronymus Oertl himself in several colours and heightened with gold in a most masterful way. All illustrations and text pages framed in gold and red. Octavo (160 x 105 mm). Red morocco binding, c. 1700, with spine and covers richly gilt.

A crown witness of the Dürer Renaissance

Albrecht Dürer’s engraved Passion of 1513, consisting of 16 leaves, is a pinnacle of his printmaking. Together with the single leaf of Mary and Child under a Tree from the same year, the entire series was integrated into this prayer book manuscript on parchment by the Nuremberg illuminator and calligrapher Hieronymus Oertl in 1587 and illuminated with masterly distinction: Alongside Georg Mack from the famous illuminator family, Oertl was the most important illuminator of his time. The combination of graphics and illumination, which today appears idiosyncratic, together with the calligraphy created a new type of bibliophile work of art at the highest level and at the same time a crown witness of the »Dürer Renaissance« around 1600. It is known that Dürer himself coloured at least one of his works, the woodcut series "Life of the Virgin".

Of the three comparable manuscripts known by Hieronymus Oertl this one is undoubtedly the finest and most staggering and furthermore the only one signed by Oertl.

This manuscript has been described in great detail in our catalogue 90 “Wunderkammer”, lot 9. Click here to view the eCatalogue or order the printed version in our Online Shop.

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