The Evangelist Matthew from: “Biblische Figuren des Alten und Neuen Testaments / ganz künstlich gerissen”

Details

Andresen 1,103; Hollstein 14.104; Nr. 15.4 (Kartusche); Andresen 1,110; Hollstein 19.112 (verso).

Description

Outstanding, luminous early impression from: Virgil Solis, “Biblische Figuren des Alten vnd Newen Testaments / gantz künstlich gerissen”, Frankfurt am Main, printed by David Zöpfel, Johann Rasch and Sigmund Feyerabend in 1560. Georg Mack was a member of a family of “letter painters”, together with his father Hans (active 1536-82) and his son Georg the Younger (active 1585-1615). His masterpieces include the colouring of woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer and the colouring of an early edition of Basilius Besler’s “Hortus Eystettensis”, created in 1613 (now in the British Library, 10 Tab. 29). Mack applied pigments and gold highlights that correspond with the printed lines by Virgil Solis. The harmonious interplay between the print and the ornamental cartouche is a rare example of an illuminated manuscript and combines the early artisanal tradition of medieval colouring with the printing press, which revolutionised the dissemination of texts in Renaissance Europe. Verso with the depiction “The twelve-year-old Christ teaching in the temple”, with woodcut cartouche. – A few brown stains on verso. A tiny loss of colour to the upper right edge. Of great colour freshness. Very rare due to the full signature of the illuminator, whose work is documented by a few surviving examples in museums.