LUTHER, Martin Passional Christi vnd Antichristi. 1521 M. Maler, 4to, mod. sheep, [14] ff. (paper age-toned, some marg. staining). Good copy.
Estimation :
1500 / 2500
Adjudication :
5500 €
Description
1 of 3 Erfurt reprints copied after the 4 original Wittenberg editions, all from 1521. Ill. with 26 half-page woodcuts (13 "couples") by Lucas Cranach Sr. (1472-1553) and his Workshop, depicting Luther's views of the Pope as Antichrist: scenes from the Passion of Christ were matched by a print mocking practices of the Catholic clergy, so that Christ driving the money-changers from the Temple was matched by the Pope, or Antichrist, signing indulgences over a table spread with cash. "Texte (ausgewählte Bibelsprüche) unter den Szenen mit Christus von Philipp Melanchthon; Texte unter den Papstszenen von dem Wittenberger Juristen Johann Schwertfeger aus dem Kanonischen Recht entnommen" (cat. Wittenberg 1986, p. 114). In a letter to Spalatin (7 March 1521) Luther called it "ein gutes Buch für die Laien". Title within elaborate woodcut border (title space & columns old coloured). Gothic type. A single old pen correction in text.
