File:An inquiry concerning the invention of printing - in which the systems of Meerman, Heinecken, Santander, and Koning are reviewed - including also notices of the early use of wood-engraving in Europe, (14763500395).jpg

Identifier: inquiryconcernin00ottl (find matches)
Title: An inquiry concerning the invention of printing : in which the systems of Meerman, Heinecken, Santander, and Koning are reviewed : including also notices of the early use of wood-engraving in Europe, the block-books, etc.
Year: 1863 (1860s)
Authors: Ottley, William Young, 1771-1836 Berjeau, Jean Philibert, 1809-1891
Subjects: Printing Wood-engraving
Publisher: London : J. Lilly
Contributing Library: PIMS - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Ottawa

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this kind isthe Sanctus Bernardinus, in the Bibliotheque du Roi at Paris, therudest of all rude performances ; and which has at bottom an inscrip-tion of five lines, with the date 1#5*. This mode of finishing engravings in wood, appears to have beenpractised at Mentz, amongst other places, at an early period of theinvention of typography. A very fine copy of the Mazarine Bible, asit is called, in the original binding, late the property of Messrs. G. andW. Nicol, had, pasted within its covers, two very interesting prints ofthis kind, representing ■ Christ praying in the Garden, and theCrucifixion of Christ between the two Thieves : and it is remarkable,that of the former print, which is of only half the dimensions of theother, two impressions were inserted; a circumstance which I men-tion, because I think it proves that these engravings were printed andsold at Mentz, contemporarily with the publication of this bible. The print of the Crucifixion measures sixteen inches in height, by
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chap, ix.) WOOD ENGRAVING IN EUROPE, &c. 195 ten and three quarters, and contains numerous figures, which are,however, as ill drawn as possible. I suspect that both these prints,and some others of the kind that I have seen, may have been engravedby the same artizans who were employed by Fust and Schoeffer toengrave the large initial letters of the Psalter; and that the personswho made the designs, though skilful in drawing sprigs of foliage,flourishes, and other typographical ornaments, were little accustomedto delineate the human figure. The Crucified Redeemer occupies the centre of the piece, and hisfigure is larger than the others. The penitent malefactor is on hisright, and on a scroll near his figure we read, dne memento met duveniris in regnu t(uum); the other thief on his left says, si tu es xpssaluu fac te ipm et nos: an angel, issuing from a cloud, over theformer, receives his soul, whilst a devil is about to bear away that ofthe latter. Mary Magdalen embraces the foot of

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