#schatzbehalter

Albrecht Pfister was one of the first to use woodblock prints to illustrate his books. Around 1460, he used types from Johann Gensfleisch zum Gutenberg’s Bible and five of his own woodblock prints to create his first edition of Der Ackermann aus Böhmen by Johannes von Tepl. Time passed, and printers started using woodblock illustrations for typographic works far more often. As this was happening, the societal “rank” of graphic illustrators was elevated. Woodblock illustrations became increasingly more popular, and as a result became more in demand. 

By the end of the 1400s, not only had Ausburg and Ulm become established centers for illustrated books, Nuremberg had become one as well. It had been the most successful center of commerce and distribution of central Europe, and housed Germany’s best printer, Anton Koberger. He was a printer who worked in tandem with master illustrators to create three masterpieces such as the 1491 Schatzbehalter. Koberger worked with master craftsmen like Michael Wolgemuth, who took on Koberger’s godson as an apprentice. This apprentice, Albrecht Dürer, became famous through Europe by the age of twenty seven due to his talents, specifically his editions of The Apocalypse.

These masters took on students who continued to work with typography and woodcut illustrations while artists in Italy and France started working toward Renaissance book design. The German illustrated book evolved as printers began using cast metal characters to create types that could duplicate penned scripts. From Pfister to many others, the German illustrated book kept evolving, with illustrated typography spreading from Germany throughout Europe. These works have so much detail in them that we can only imagine, but never know due to how much printing and typography have evolved.

Image 1: The Circumcision of Christ / The Baptism of Christ, from the Schatzbehalter (Anton Koberger)

Image 2: The Flagellation of Christ, from the Schatzbehalter (Anton Koberger)

Image 3: Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from The Apocalypse (Albrecht Dürer)