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Detail woodcarving showing map of the Earth and text

Printed Books

Nuremberg Chronicle

Hartmann Schedel

1493


Named after the city in which it was created, the Nuremberg Chronicle was written by the German humanist scholar Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514). It contains a history of the world from creation up until the late 15th century.

The first edition, in Latin, took 19 months to complete and was so popular that a German edition followed within six months.

Anton Koberger, the publisher, was the most renowned German printer of the day, with 24 presses in operation and over 100 craftsmen in his employ.

The Nuremberg Chronicle, illustrated by Michael Wolgemut and Wilhelm Pleydenwurff, contains over 1800 woodcuts. As the young Albrecht Dürer was apprenticed to Wolgemut’s workshop at the time, it is almost certain that he had a hand in the illustrations.

The video features Rare Books librarian Des Cowley discussing the Nuremberg Chronicle.