Peter Bichsel   Fine Books

Agricola (i.e. Meyer), Daniel. Passio domini nostri Jesu christi secundum seriem quattuor evangelistarum.

With nearly full-page woodcut title vignette and 20 woodcut vignettes in the text (3 monogr.), all by Urs Graf. 39, (1) leaves. Small 4to. Boards covered with an old manuscript leaf and painted black. Spine made of blind-stamped pigskin, monogrammed „T.V.K.“ and dated 1580 on front board. – Basel, (Johannes Frobenius), 1512.

Daniel Meyer’s (Franciscan, c. 1490–1540, Latinized as Agricola) “Passio” was written as a second part of the “Postilla” by Guilelmus Parisiensis (1437–1485). It bears its own title and colophon and was – like in the present case – also published separately. Guilelmus’ “Postilla” had already been printed in 1509 and 1511 by Adam Petri. The present separate edition of the “Passio” by Johannes Froben features the large title woodcut designed by Urs Graf, which had already been used by Petri in 1509. The woodcut depicts Jesus preaching in the center, surrounded by the four Evangelists’ symbols eagle, bull, angel, and lion, the prophet Daniel, and the apostles Petrus, Paulus, and Jacobus. Froben changed the typographic captions within the image, as well as the year of printing inserted above the eagle. – VD16 E 4383; Petri–Schwabe No. 21a and in detail p. 66. – Contemp. notes on title page next to the woodcut and on verso. A few small, continuous wormholes that barely interfere with the text. – Best.-Nr. 27027