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Book/Printed Material Paupers' Bible. Biblia pauperum

About this Item

Title

  • Paupers' Bible.

Other Title

  • Biblia pauperum

Summary

  • This Biblia pauperum (Paupers' Bible) consists of a series of woodcuts depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments, which are combined with short explanatory texts printed with metal type. Central scenes from the life of Christ are juxtaposed with two corresponding scenes from the Old Testament accompanied by four prophets, thus dramatizing fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New. With its memorable images, the work might have served as an aid for the instruction of laymen or members of the lower clergy financially unable to purchase a complete Bible. The first edition of the Biblia pauperum to combine woodcuts with text printed with moveable type was produced in Bamberg in the printing workshop of Albrecht Pfister (circa 1420--circa 1470), one of the earliest printers to publish books illustrated with woodcuts. The integration of pictures into printed text was initially a very difficult task. Pfister's edition of the Biblia pauperum combined text and illustration in one printing form, thus making the printing process faster and easier. As a consequence, woodcuts came to replace pen drawings in illustrated books intended for religious edification or for practical purposes. Such illustrations previously had been copied by hand.

Names

  • Pfister, Albrecht, circa 1420-circa 1470 Creator.

Created / Published

  • Bamberg, Germany : [publisher not identified], [1462 to 1463]

Headings

  • -  Germany
  • -  1462 to 1463
  • -  Bible
  • -  Woodcuts

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  "BSB shelfmark: Rar. 4"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
  • -  Original resource extent: 18 sheets : color illustrations.
  • -  Original resource at: Bavarian State Library.
  • -  Content in Latin.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021666795

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Pfister, Albrecht, Circa Circa 1470 Creator. Paupers' Bible. [Bamberg, Germany: publisher not identified, to 1463, 1462] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666795/.

APA citation style:

Pfister, A. (1462) Paupers' Bible. [Bamberg, Germany: publisher not identified, to 1463] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666795/.

MLA citation style:

Pfister, Albrecht, Circa Circa 1470 Creator. Paupers' Bible. [Bamberg, Germany: publisher not identified, to 1463, 1462] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021666795/>.