Monogrammist HR’s double-sided woodcuts of Noah’s Ark, c1626

Monogrammist HR (fl.c1625–1630)—see the ligature initials on the tablet below Noah in the recto woodcut

(Recto) “Animals Entering the Ark” and (verso) “The Deluge” (descriptive titles only), c1626, double-sided woodcuts possibly published in the “Dietenberger Ulenberg Bible” (aka "Sacra Biblia … Gedruckt zu Cöln in der Quenteleyen Durch Johannem Kreps Im Jar MDC.XXX"), 1630—note that the Bible was initially published in 1534 in Mainz by Johann Dietenberger (c1475–1537) but it was later revised and republished in 1630 in Cologne by Kaspar Ulenberg (1549–1617) and printed by Johann Kreps (aka Johan Kreps; Johannem Kreps) (fl.c1626–30). (My apologies if I have inaccuracies in the above details, but I have not been able to locate an online copy of the original publication to confirm if all the information is correct.)

For information about the various publications of the Bible, see Dave Alh’s marvellous website, “Antique & Historic Bibles, Psalters, and Bible Pages (Leafs)”: https://www.swapmeetdave.com/Bible/Bibles/Historic.htm.

Woodcuts printed recto and verso on laid paper trimmed around woodcut printed ornamental framing borders. Interestingly—and perhaps shockingly—the ornamental frame surrounding “The Deluge” (verso) is printed upside down.

Size: (sheet) 12.5 x 16.4 cm.

Lettered on the recto plate, “Animals Entering the Ark”: (lower left on tablet in ligature letters) “HR”; (Hebrew tetragrammaton [YHWH] in sky) “יהוה‎”.

Condition: richly inked and well-printed early impressions (recto and verso) showing no sign of wear to the printing plates. The ornamental frame for “The Deluge” is printed upside down—a rare occurrence of negligence by the printer, but an accident that is understandable, mindful that the same blocks of the “frames” were reassembled and employed in different configurations as borders for the other prints in the same publication.

I am selling this double-sided sheet of superb woodcuts in superb condition—for the total cost of AU$236 (currently US$183.19/EUR149.50/GBP129.37 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this pair of small but graphically very strong woodcuts, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This sheet of prints has been sold