Michel Wolgemut’s woodcut, “Lot flees from Sodom”, 1493

Michel Wolgemut (aka Michael Wolgemut) (1434–1519)

“Lot flees from Sodom” (Lot flieht aus Sodom), 1493, illustration from page XXI (21) from the first Latin edition of Hartmann Schede’s (1440–1514) "Liber Cronicarum" (aka “Liber Chronicarum”; “Nuremberg Chronicle”; “Die Schedelsche Weltchronik”; “Historia mundi”), printed and published by Anton Koberger (c1440/45–1513) in Nuremberg.

Woodcut on fine laid paper trimmed with small margins.

Size: (sheet) 12.9 x 22.9 cm; (image borderline) 12.7 x 22.5 cm

Lifetime impression from the first edition. (Note my attribution is based on the crisp quality of the impression with no signs of wear to the plate.)

See the page in its context with the verso side: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schedelsche_Weltchronik_d_021.jpg  

See all the pages in  "Liber Cronicarum": https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Schedelsche_Weltchronik

Condition: crisp (lifetime) impression in museum-quality faultless condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling), trimmed with small margins and with a fragment of another woodcut verso. Note that this impression is rare as most were “improved” with hand-colouring and this print is untouched; Wikipedia offers a coloured copy of this print: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuremberg_chronicles_f_21r.png

I am selling this spectacular lifetime woodcut in magnificent condition showing Lot’s wife turned into a column of salt as she looks back to Sodom in the midst of an earthquake with “fire and brimstone” descending from heaven, for AU$302 (currently US$235.61/EUR192.04/GBP169.77 at the time of this listing). Postage for this print is extra and will be the actual/true cost of shipping.

If you are interested in purchasing this famous incunabula period illustration of the Old Testament story of Sodom and Gomorrah, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

I understand (from Wikipedia) that there are 1,809 woodcut illustrations in total in the Latin edition (1493) of the "Liber Cronicarum"—perhaps better known as the “Nuremberg Chronicle”—which this print features (page XXI). Although I should count them to be sure, I would not be surprised to discover that some of the plates were “reused” on more than one page as was the custom. I guess the thinking at the time is that a repeat illustration is better than no illustration at all.

For those unfamiliar with Wolgemut, his woodcut prints show the influence of advances to the modelling of forms with light and shade by earlier engravers. For example, Wolgemut has used the technique of cross-hatching first used by Master ES (fl.c.1450–67) and the curved contour lines first used by Martin Schongauer (c.1448–91). Perhaps his biggest claim to fame is that his apprentice was none other than the great Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) from 1486 to 1489.