Die Geferlicheite¯ und geschichten-des loeblichen stretbaren unnd Hochberiempten Helds und Ritters Teürdancks.
RA Collection: Book
Record number
07/5177
Variant Title
Theuerdank
Geferlicheiten und geschichten
Imprint
(Gedruckt in der Kayserlichen Statt Augspurg /: durch Hainrich Stainer /, am xxj. tag Decembris, des M.D.XXXVII. Jars)
Physical Description
[2], XCVIII, [4] f.: [1], 118 [i.e. 117] illus.; 297 mm. (In sixes.)
General Note
Leaves II, III, IV are misnumbered as IIII, III, III. Leaf XXXIIII is misnumbered as XXXVI. Illustration no. 16 is printed out of order, on leaf XCVII, between illustrations '116' and '118', with the caption 'Dise Figur ist nach ordnung die 16. gehoert an das 13. blat'; but this means that the publication lacks an illustration '117'. The one unnumbered illustration is the title-page vignette, which is a repeat of illustration no. '118'.
Contents
[T.p.] - [Preface by Melchior Pfintzing et al.] - [Text and illus.] - [Note by Melchior Pfintzing et al.] - [Note on illus.]; [colophon].
Responsibility Note
The woodcut illustrations are not signed (but nos. 20, 48 perhaps include monograms). They were designed by Leonhard Beck, Hans Schäufelein, Hans Burgkmair the elder and others.
References
K.H. Schreyl, Hans Schäufelein: das graphische Werk (2 v., 1990); T. Falk, Sixteenth-century German artists, = vol. 11 (VII/ii) of W.L. Strauss, The Illustrated Bartsch (1980); W. Schade, Hans Burgkmair [exhibition catalogue] (1974).
Summary Note
No publication-date or imprint is given on the title-page; but the colophon reads, 'Gedruckt in der Kayserlichen Statt Augspurg / durch Hainrich Stainer / am xxj. tag Decembris, des M.D.XXXVII. Jars'. The work had first been published in 1517.
The work is a copiously-illustrated verse epic written by Emperor Maximilian I, Melchior Pfinzing and others, recounting Maximilian's courtship of his first wife, Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, whom he married in 1477. It includes accounts of hunts and jousts. It is one of three illustrated biographic works by Maximilian displaying his championship of courtly ideals of the 'Mediaeval' and 'Renaissance' worlds, and which earned him the title of 'the Last Knight'.
Provenance
The front pastedown is inscribed in pencil, 'S:A:H', i.e. S.A. Hart, librarian of the Royal Academy 1864-81.
Copy Note
The title-page is inscribed in ink bottom centre '1538'.
Binding Note
19th-century white vellum; red morocco spine-label lettered 'Teürdanck 1537.'
Courtship - Courtly love - Chivalry - Germany - History - 15th century - 16th century
German poetry - Biography - Memoirs - Germany - 16th century
Pictorial works - Woodcuts - Germany - 16th century