1522 Erasmus with Contemporary pig skin binding and "Life of a Bird" woodcut to title page attributed to Holbein

Contemporary pig skin binding of the first edition of Erasmus’ translation of Arnobius’ commentary on the Psalms published by Froben - with allegorical  "Life of a Bird" woodcut to title page attributed to Hans Holbein the Younger

-Commentarios in omnes psalmos, sermon Latino, per Erasmum&= Printed by Froben in Basel, September 1522 - Complete: [6],265

Bound with

-Sermones et exhortations ad monachos= – Knoblouch for Haselberger – 1516 - Complete: 74 pp

Provenance: "St Stephan’s Benedictine monastery in Würzberg"

29 x 21cm

Condition: Contemporary half pig-skin with wooden boards. Clasps missing and repair to the front board. Text browned with some minor water stains towards the end of the text. A few quires starting.

The woodcut title page border depicts an <Imago Vitae Avicaceae= or the <Image of the life of a bird=. This allegory was popular in the Renaissance and represented the stages of life on Earth. Birds also symbolised learning and the path to wisdom, as well as the journey of the soul to heaven. The woodcut is attributed to Hans Holbein the Younger who was working in Basel during this time (1515-1526).

The text is Erasmus’ translation of the 5th Century commentary on the psalms by Arnobius the younger. Erasmus brought significant scholarly interpretation of the text through a 16 Century eye at the dawn of the reformation. The text has a Christian (rather than Jewish) view of the Psalms and promoted "Christian" values of charity, justice and integrity. The text is dedicated to Pope Adrian VI, a modernising force in the Catholic Church of Dutch origin. Pope Adrian attempted to reconcile the Protestant Reformers and the more conservative Roman Catholics, but ultimately failed.

"Sermones et exhortations ad monachos", by Johannes Trithemius contains homilies and sermons written for a monastic audience. The text offers to monastic life at the time, encouraging self sacrifice, discipline, and piety.

USTC 693723 (no copies in USA). 

£1500