Early Woodcut Initials Containing over Thirteen Hundred Reproductions of Ornamental Letters of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries

CHAPTER XVI

Chapter 166,260 wordsPublic domain

ENGLISH INITIALS

With very few exceptions the decorative and pictorial initials reproduced from foreign books on the preceding pages have been chosen from works printed before 1525, and in most cases before 1500. In Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands, schools of cutters and engravers in wood and soft metal with strongly marked local characteristics came into existence before 1490--in Germany some twenty years earlier--and during the last decade of the century numerous finely illustrated books were issued from the chief continental presses. The good work of one country or town might be imitated, slavishly or freely, in another; here and there also the work produced was quaintly or stupidly bad, and good designs were often spoilt by clumsy cutting. But despite all such individual failures, there was abundance of originality and executive skill, and this is true also, though in a less degree, of Switzerland and Spain. When we turn our eyes homewards, we find a totally different state of affairs. The few English illustrated books of the period with which this monograph is mainly concerned have been divided by specialists into three groups:[34] those with cuts borrowed outright from the Netherlands or France (_e.g._ Caxton’s Horae cuts, the illustrations in Pynson’s edition of Lydgate’s _Falls of Princes_, etc.); those slavishly copied, mostly, but not always, very badly, from foreign originals (_e.g._ Caxton’s _Aesop_, the editions of the _Castell of Labour_, _Art of Good Living and Good Dyeing_, the _Ship of Fools_, and most of the odd single cuts); lastly, a scanty residue of native origin, illustrating books like the _Canterbury Tales_ or _Morte d’Arthur_, for which no foreign models could be found. Some of these are almost incredibly bad, others merely wooden, a very few, like the cut to Fisher’s funeral sermon for Henry VII., fairly neat. But, again speaking generally, it is evident that English printers could enlist the services of no designers of any skill and of few woodcutters able to rival the average journeyman-work in foreign books.

[34] Consult an extremely interesting paper on this subject, ‘Initial Letters in Early English Printed Books,’ by Charles Sayle. _Bibliographical Society’s Transactions_, 1904.

Good initials demanded little less skill from their designers, and certainly no less from their cutters, than the larger forms of book-illustration. The great continental centres of printing prove abundantly that good initials are the natural accompaniments of good illustrations, and thus there is no room for surprise that in England, where there was no competent native school of book-illustration, there was also no competent native school of initial-cutters.

Of the fact there can be no doubt. Caxton possessed only one initial of any size, the A shown among our facsimiles, which he used in one or two of his later books. His contemporaries possessed none at all. After Caxton’s death in 1491, for the next half-century and more the history of English initials is as the history of our book-illustrations--they are imported from abroad, copied from foreign originals, or of no artistic value. An early instance of importation is the large grotesque H, shown in facsimile, which De Worde acquired early in his career from Govaert van Os when the latter was moving to Copenhagen; in the same way Julian Notary obtained a few letters from André Bocard. Though it may be thought churlish to look outside England when we find a rebus on an English name, it can hardly be doubted that the initials cut for Pynson’s Morton Missal, of which specimens are given, were made for him in France. Certainly no one could claim these letters as starting an independent English school, and most of those subsequently used by Pynson and De Worde are direct copies, or imitations, from the French. Thus it is only by transcending our bounds that we can offer a few examples of English initials which have at least more independence than these early ventures. It, perhaps, shows some rashness to include among them the excellent H from Grafton’s edition of Halle’s _Union of the two Houses of York and Lancaster_ (1548), for this may perchance have been inspired by those in the Paris edition of the _Historia Danica_ of Saxo Grammaticus (see pages 85 and 230). Nevertheless the book is important, because it was on heraldic lines that some of the best later work was produced. Much of this may be connected with the name of that excellent printer John Day. The pictorial initial to the Bible of 1549, showing Edward Becke, the promoter of the edition, presenting a copy to Edward VI., is full of life, and the portrait initial of Elizabeth from Foxe’s _Book of Martyrs_ is excellent work. Between these two books Day had issued, in 1559, a fine edition of Cunningham’s _Cosmographical Glasse_, and this is adorned by an admirable heraldic D with the arms of the Earl of Leicester, and by some pictorial initials connected with the subject of the book, the authorship of these being still undiscovered, despite the letters IB, IC, ID, found on some of them. At a later date work of the same style appears in his edition of Ascham’s _Schoolmaster_.

It is a pity that Day, not being the royal printer, could not be entrusted with printing the Bishops’ Bible of 1568, which came from the press of Jugge and Cawood. But his patron, Archbishop Parker, had, of course, a large share in its superintendence, and some of the heraldic initials in the volume are almost as good as the Leicester D. That which has been chosen as a sample shows the arms of Archbishop Cranmer, a pleasing compliment from Parker to his predecessor.

The ornamental title-page to the Bishops’ Bible is not woodcut but engraved on copper, and the fact is significant. Under Day’s guidance English printing and book-illustration lifted up their head, but the effort came too late. After about 1580 woodcuts became unfashionable, copper engravings gradually took their place, and the change was fatal to the production of fine initials, of which no more were produced.

REPRODUCTIONS OF INITIALS

ULM

INITIAL WITH BORDER FROM THE XYLOGRAPHIC DONATUS OF DINCKMUT

INITIALS FROM BLOCK BOOKS

FROM AN ‘ARS MEMORANDI’

FROM THE ‘MIRABILIA ROMAE’

MAYENCE

FROM THE ÆSOP OF SCHEFFER

FROM THE BREIDENBACH OF ERHARDT REUWICH

AUGSBURG

FROM G. ZAINER’S SIXTH GERMAN BIBLE AND J. FRIBURGENSIS’ ‘SUMMA CONFESSORUM’

FROM G. ZAINER’S ‘MARGARITA DAVITICA’

INITIALS OF SORG

INITIALS OF KELLER

INITIALS OF HOHENWANG AND PFLANTZMANN

INITIALS OF SCHÖNSPERGER

INITIALS OF BÄMLER

FROM G. ZAINER’S GERMAN BIBLE

FROM SORG’S ‘SUSO DICTUS AMANDUS’

FROM RATDOLT’S BREVIARY, 1491

FROM RATDOLT’S BREVIARY AND PSALTER, 1491-1499

FROM RATDOLT’S CONSTANCE MISSAL, 1516

INITIALS BY HANS WEIDITZ IN DIFFERENT WORKS PUBLISHED BY STEYNER

ULM

FROM J. ZAINER’S BOCCACCIO

OTHER INITIALS OF G. ZAINER

FROM THE COSMOGRAPHIA OF PTOLEMY--LEONARD HOLL, 1482

FROM THE ULM BIBLE, 1480

INITIALS OF J. REGER, 1496

NUREMBERG

INITIALS OF PETER WAGNER, 1489

INITIAL OF J. REGIOMONTANUS

FROM THE FOURTH GERMAN BIBLE OF FRISNER AND SENSENSCHMIDT

FROM THE ‘MISSALE PATAVIENSE’ OF J. GUTNECHT

BASLE

FROM RICHEL’S LATIN BIBLE, 1475

FROM FURTER’S PSALTER, 1501

INITIALS BY URS GRAF

FROM THE ‘CHRISTIANLICHE BILGERSCHAFT’ OF ADAM PETRI

INITIALS OF ‘DANCE OF DEATH’ BY LÜTZELBERGER

GREEK ‘DANCE OF DEATH’ INITIALS

‘DANCE OF DEATH’ INITIAL

FROM ALPHABETS BY HANS HOLBEIN

STRASBURG COPIES OF THE ‘DANCE OF DEATH’ ALPHABET

INITIALS OF PEASANTS FROM THE ‘GALEN’ OF BEBELIUS AND CRATANDER

FROM CHILDREN’S ALPHABET IN ‘LACTANTIUS’ AND OTHER WORKS

FROM LARGER CHILDREN’S ALPHABET

FROM ALPHABETS BY HANS HOLBEIN

INITIALS OF VALENTIN CURIO, FROM ALPHABETS BY HANS HOLBEIN

FROM THE ‘GALEN’ OF BEBELIUS AND CRATANDER

FROM THE GREEK LEXICON OF RENÉ GELLI

FROM ALPHABETS BY HANS HOLBEIN

OTHER INITIALS BY HOLBEIN

INITIALS BY HOLBEIN

INITIALS FROM ALPHABET BY AMBROSE HOLBEIN

INITIALS BY VAN CALCAR FROM VESALIUS

ZÜRICH

INITIALS USED BY FROSCHOUER

LÜBECK

FROM THE ‘RUDIMENTA NOVITIORUM’ AND JOSEPHUS OF LUCAS BRANDIS, 1475

FROM THE ‘LEBEN DES HEIL. HIERONYMUS’ BY BARTHOLOMEW GHOTAN, 1484

FROM THE ‘MEDITATIONES SANCTÆ BRIGITTÆ’ BY BARTHOLOMEW GHOTAN

BAMBERG

FROM THE ‘MISSALE OLUMUCENSE’ OF SENSENSCHMIDT, 1489

FROM A BAMBERG MISSAL

FROM THE BAMBERG MISSAL OF J. PFEYL, 1506

STRASBURG

FROM T. DE HASELPACH’S ‘SERMONES’

FROM ‘BURGUNDISCHE HISTORIE’

FROM ‘DIALOGUS SALOMONIS ET MARCOLFI’

FROM ‘BELIAL’ AND OTHER BOOKS

FROM VARIOUS BOOKS PRINTED BY KNOBLOCHTZER

FROM THE ‘DEUTSCHER KALENDER’ AND OTHER BOOKS

FROM THE ‘DE SECRETIS MULIERUM’

FROM THE ‘DE RITU ET MORIBUS INDORUM’

FROM VARIOUS BOOKS PRINTED BY KNOBLOCHTZER

ANTHROPOMORPHIC LETTERS USED BY VARIOUS PRINTERS

INITIALS FROM THE ‘SCRIPTUM’ OF G. DE OCKAM, AND THE ‘COMMENTARIUS SANCTI JOHANNIS,’ PRINTED BY G. SCHOTT

LETTERS FROM THE ‘PLENARIUM’

OTHER STRASBURG INITIALS

FROM A PSALTER BY J. PRUSZ, 1498

FROM KNOBLOUCH’S ‘POGGE,’ 1513

FROM VARIOUS BOOKS PRINTED BY GRÜNINGER

FROM ‘SERMONES’ OF GEILER VON KAISERSPERG

REUTLINGEN

FROM BOOKS PRINTED BY G. GRYFF

GENEVA

FROM THE ‘DOCTRINAL DE SAPIENCE’ OF 1488

FROM THE ‘DOCTRINAL DE SAPIENCE’ OF 1493

FROM ‘LES FLEURS ET MANIÈRES DES TEMPS PASSÉS’

FROM THE ‘DIALOGUS CREATURUM’

FROM A MISSAL OF BELLOT

COLOGNE

FROM QUENTELL’S MISSAL, 1494

FROM A DONATUS

FROM ‘SEQUENTIARUM ET HYMNORUM’ EXPOSITIO BY BUNGART DE KETWYCK

OTHER INITIALS BY QUENTELL

BY MELCHIOR NOVESIANUS

BY J. GYMNICUS

FROM ALPHABET OF ALBERT DÜRER IN BOOKS BY CERVICORNUS

A LYONS COPY

MACABRE INITIALS

COPIED FROM THE VENETIAN ‘BREVIARUM ORBIS’ OF LILIUS

VENICE

INITIALS OF RATDOLT, 1476

FROM MISSALS AND BREVIARIES BY GEORGE ARRIVABENE AND LUCANTONIO DI GIUNTA

FROM A BOOK PRINTED BY BONETUS LOCATELLUS

FROM BOOKS BY MATTEO CAPCASA, TACUINUS DE TRIDINO, BONETUS LOCATELLUS, AND OTHERS

FROM THE ‘MISSALE VALLISUMBROSE’ OF GIUNTA

FROM A VENETIAN IMPRESSION

FROM AN EDITION OF ARISTOTLE BY SESSA

FROM THE ‘VITA DI SANCTI PADRI’ OF OTINO DA PAVIA DE LA LUNA

INITIALS BY SESSA

FROM THE ‘BREVIARIUM ORBIS’ OF ZACHARIUS LILIUS

FROM A VENETIAN IMPRESSION

FROM WORKS BY VARIOUS PRINTERS

INITIALS BY DE GREGORIIS

PORTRAIT OF COSMO DE MEDICI

PIUS ROMAE PONTIFEX

ROME

FROM THE ‘VITÆ CÆSARUM’ OF SUETONIUS BY SWEYNHEIM AND PANNARTZ, 1471

E. SILBER, 1507

JACOBUS MAZOCHIUS, 1515

SIENNA

FROM THE ‘OPERA DATHI’ OF NARDI, 1503

COMO

FROM THE VITRUVIUS OF GOTARDUS DE PONTE

PAVIA

INITIALS OF J. DE BURGOFRANCO

SALUZZO

FROM THE ‘AUREUM OPUS’ OF LE SIGNERRE

VERONA

FROM A WORK BY CELSUS MAPHEUS

VICENZA

FROM A CATALOGUS SANCTORUM

BRESCIA

FROM THE ‘INVECTIVAE’ OF T. N. CYCHUTHOE

FERRARA

FROM THE ‘DE CLARIS MULIERIBUS’

FROM THE ‘MISSALE CARTHUSIENSE,’ PRINTED BY THE MONKS AT THEIR CONVENT

MILAN

LETTRINES BY SCINZENZELLER

FROM THE ‘OPUS AUREE’ OF ZAROTUS, 1513

FROM THE ‘SERMONS OF ST. BERNARD,’ LEONARD PACHEL, 1495

FROM WORKS PRINTED BY GERARD PONTICUS

LYONS

‘LETTRES TOURNEURES FLEURONNÉES’ OF W. LEROY, 1479

FROM ‘LE PRESTRE JEHAN’

FROM ‘LES QUATRE FILS AYMON’ OF W. LEROY

FROM THE ‘STATUTA SYNODALIA’ OF W. LEROY

FROM THE BOCCACCIO OF MATHIEU AND JEAN SCHABELER, 1483

FROM THE BREIDENBACH OF GASPARD ORTUIN

FROM ‘LA MER DES HYSTOIRES’ BY MICHEL TOPIE

FROM A MELUSINE

LETTRES RUSTIQUES OF MATHIEU HUSZ

FROM THE ‘LIVRE DES MARCHANDS’

FROM THE ‘SOMME RURALE’ OF BOUTELLIER

FROM THE ‘CATHON EN FRANÇOYS’

LYONS COPY OF AN INITIAL FROM THE BOECE OF VÉRARD

FROM SACCON’S MISSAL

FROM THE MISSAL OF PIERRE HONGRE

INITIALS BY J. POULLET, 1505

FROM THE MISSAL OF NARBONNE, 1528

FROM A LYONS MISSAL

FROM A ‘CATALOGUS SANCTORUM’ OF SACCON

FROM THE ‘CATHOLICON’ OF J. WOLFF, 1503

FROM AN UNIDENTIFIED ‘PROPRIETAIRE’

FROM ‘AUREUM OPUS’

FROM ‘PLUSIEURS GENTILLESSES’ ETC.

FROM MAGNINI’S ‘REGIMEN SANITATIS,’ BY FRADIN

INITIALS BY SACCON

INITIALS BY BLANCHARD AND OTHER PRINTERS

CHILDREN’S ALPHABET BY FRADIN

FROM WORKS OF ST. AMBROSE

PORTRAIT OF ERASMUS

FROM A LYONS BIBLE

FROM THE ‘BIBLIA CUM SUMMARIIS CONCORDANTIIS,’ ETC., BY JOHN MOYLIN

FROM THE ‘BIBLIA CUM SUMMARIIS CONCORDANTIIS’

FROM THE ‘CATALOGUS SANCTORUM’ OF SACCON

INITIALS OF SACCON

FROM A ‘MORALE REDUCTORIUM PETRI BERTHORII’

LETTER USED BY JACQUES MODERNES

ALPHABET OF PHILOSOPHERS

FROM AN ALPHABET OF PHILOSOPHERS

MYTHOLOGICAL INITIALS

MYTHOLOGICAL LETTERS OF JACOPO FABIO

PARIS

FROM THE ‘VIES DES ANCIENS SAINCTZ PÈRES’ OF DUPRÉ

CALLIGRAPHIC ALPHABET OF VÉRARD

FROM THE ‘NEF DE SANTÉ’ OF TREPPEREL

INITIALS IN BOOKS BY BOCARD

INITIALS IN BOOKS PRINTED BY REMBOLT AND GERING

FROM THE HISTORY OF DENMARK BY SAXO GRAMMATICUS

INITIALS USED IN THE ‘JARDIN DE SANTÉ’ BY TREPPEREL

FROM THE ARISTOTLE OF H. ESTIENNE

FROM THE ‘MISSALE PARISIENSE’ BY WOLFGANG HOPYL

FROM MISSALS BY WOLFGANG HOPYL

INITIALS USED BY PHILIPPE LENOIR, TREPPEREL, AND OTHERS

FROM AN UNIDENTIFIED MISSAL ATTRIBUTED TO G. TORY

FROM A PARIS MISSAL

GROTESQUE MISSAL INITIALS

FROM A ‘PROPRIETAIRE’ OF PHILIPPE LENOIR

INITIALS USED BY JOSSE BADE

(Original size)

(Enlargement)

INITIALS USED BY CHEVALLON

INITIALS BY VASCOSAN

INITIALS BY SIMON DE COLINES

ROYAL LETTERS DESIGNED BY GEOFFROY TORY

FROM KERVER’S ALPHABET

FROM DE LA BARRE’S PRESS

ENGLISH COPIES OF KERVER

COPY OF REMBOLT

FROM PHILIP LE NOIR

PEN LETTERS OF PHILIP LE NOIR

TROYES

FROM ‘LA THOISON D’OR’ BY THE LEROUGES

FROM THE ‘GRADUALE TRECENSE’ AND ‘STATUTA SYNODALIA’ BY LECOQ

LITTLE LETTERS OF THE ‘VIE DE MONSEIGNEUR ST. BERNARD’ OF LECOQ

ROUEN

FROM THE ‘PSALTERII EXPOSITIO’ OF PETRUS DE HARENTALS

FROM VARIOUS WORKS BY MARTIN MORIN

FROM THE ‘MISSALE ATREBATENSE’ OF MARTIN MORIN

FROM THE ‘COMMINES’ OF J. FORESTIER

FROM THE ‘PROPRIETAIRE’ OF J. FORESTIER

FROM THE ‘OPERA GUILELMI MONACHI VALLADII’ BY HOSTINGUE

FROM A ‘COUSTUMIER DE NORMANDIE’ OF 1523

AVIGNON

FROM WORKS PRINTED BY JEAN DE CHAUNY

POITIERS

FROM A POITIERS MISSAL

FROM A ‘COUSTUMIER DE POITOU’

USED IN IMPRESSIONS OF POITIERS

FRANCE

FROM A LIMOGES MISSAL

FROM TOULOUSE

FROM A LIMOGES MISSAL

FROM THE ÆSOP OF ALBI

FROM ‘LA VIE ET LÉGENDE DE MME. STE. PETROINE’

FROM BESANÇON

SPANISH TOWNS

FROM VALENCIA, BY G. CASTILLA

FROM SEVILLE, BY JUAN DE VARILA

FROM COIMBRA, BY J. ALVERA

ORIGIN UNCERTAIN

FROM THE ‘COMPILACION DE LEYES,’ PRINTED AT ZAMORA

INITIALS USED BY J. CROMBERGER

FROM A MEDICAL BOOK

FROM A BOOK PRINTED AT BURGOS

ORIGIN UNCERTAIN

DANCE OF DEATH INITIALS FROM THE ‘LIBRO SOTILISSIMO’ PRINTED AT STELLA

FROM THE ‘COMENTO DE EUSEBIO’ OF H. GYFFER, SALAMANCA

FROM THE ‘PASSIONARIUM’ OF BROCART, COMPLUTUM

FROM THE ‘EPILOGO IN MEDICINA’

EARLY DUTCH INITIALS

USED BY JACOB VAN DER MEER OF DELFT

USED BY GODFRID DE OS OF GOUDA

FROM THE ‘LIFE OF ST. LYDWINNE’ PRINTED AT SCHIEDAM

ENGLISH ADAPTATION OF THE PRECEDING

USED BY THIERRY MARTENS

USED BY G. LEEU OF ANTWERP

FROM AN EARLY LOUVAIN MISSAL

FROM THE TITLE-PAGE OF A ‘BELIAL’ OF ANTWERP

FROM A LEYDEN TITLE-PAGE

PORTRAIT OF PHILIP LE BEL, FROM A WORK PUBLISHED BY GODFRID BACK OF ANTWERP

LATER GERMAN INITIALS

FROM THE MISSAL OF SPIRES BY PETER DRACH

FROM THE BENEDICTINE MISSAL OF HAGENAU

FROM AN UNIDENTIFIED (? MAGDEBURG) MISSAL

FROM THE ‘MISSALE POSNANIENSE’

FROM THE ‘MISSALE EVANGELIARE’ OF LUTHER, BY KRAFFT OF WITTEMBURG

INITIALS USED AT DRESDEN

INITIALS BY PILGRIM IN THE ‘ELEGANTIAE’ OF LAURENTIUS VALLA, BY SCHURER, SCHLESTADT

FROM THE ‘MISSALE PATAVIENSE’ OF WINTERBERGER, VIENNA

FROM WORKS PRINTED BY KNOBLOUCH

FROM A METZ PSALTER BY CASPAR HOCHFFEDER

FROM PLINIUS OF HAGENAU, USED AFTERWARDS AT COLOGNE

FROM A MAGDEBURG BIBLE

BY SCHEFFER OF MAYENCE

FROM THE ‘ASTRONOMICON CESAREUM’ OF APIANUS

FROM AN ECCLESIASTICAL DOCUMENT

ENGLISH INITIALS

CAXTON’S ‘A’

WYNKYN DE WORDE’S BORROWED ‘H’

FROM PYNSON’S MORTON MISSAL

INITIALS USED BY JOHN DAY

INITIAL WITH ARMS OF ARCHBISHOP CRANMER, FROM THE BISHOPS’ BIBLE

INITIAL WITH ARMS OF HENRY VII., FROM GRAFTON’S EDITION OF ‘HALLE’S CHRONICLE’

INITIAL WITH ARMS OF THE EARL OF LEICESTER, FROM DAY’S EDITION OF CUNNINGHAM’S ‘COSMOGRAPHICAL GLASS’

PORTRAIT OF QUEEN ELIZABETH FROM DAY’S EDITION OF FOXE’S ‘BOOK OF MARTYRS’

INDEX

PAGE

Æsop, initial from Scheffer’s edition, 112 ---- initial from Albi edition, 95, 252

Albi, initial in the _manière éraillée_, from Æsop printed at, 95, 252

_Alvarus Pelagius_ of J. Zainer, border used in, 23

Alvera, J., initial used by, at Coimbra, 253

Ambrose, St., portrait initial of, 211

Antwerp, initial from title-page of book printed at, 102, 262 ---- initials used in books printed by G. Leeu at, 102, 261

Apianus, P., initials from _Astronomicon Cesareum_ printed by, 107, 274 _sq._

Apocalypse, different editions of the block-book, 4

Arion, initial representing the adventure of, 61

Aristotle, _Opera Nonnulla_ printed by Keller, 17 ---- initials in editions of, by H. Estienne, 232

Arrivabene, George, initials from missals printed by, 59, 171 _sqq._

_Ars Memorandi_, historical initial in the, 5, 112

_Ars Moriendi_, the block-book, 4

_Astronomicon Cesareum_ printed by P. Apianus at Ingoldstadt, 107, 274 _sq._

Augsburg, 5 ---- initials used by printers, 14, 113-122

_Aureum Opus_, initials from edition of, by De Vingle, 77, 208

Avignon, initials from volume printed at, 93, 251

_Aymon, les Quatre Fils de_, initials used in Lyons edition of, 195

Back, Godfrid, initials used by, 262

Bade, Josse, armorial initials in History of Denmark printed by, 85, 230 ---- ---- other initials of, 238

Bamberg, initials from missal of Johann Pfeyl of, 41, 152 _sq._ ---- initials from _Missale Olumucense_ of, 41, 150 _sq._

Bämler, Johann, initials from works printed by, 16, 117

Basle, initials reproduced from books printed at, 134-145 ---- psalter of 1501 by Furter, initials from, 30, 135

Bebelius, Joannes, initials of Holbein in works published by, 33

Bebelius and Cratander, initials of Holbein in works by, 36

Bellot, Jean, initials from volumes printed by, 53

Benedictine missal printed at Hagenau, initials used in, 104, 264 _sqq._

Bernard, le Petit, initials attributed to, 81

Berthorius, Petrus, initials from _Morale Reductorium_ of, 81, 222

Besançon, printers of, use same initials as Furter of Basle, 95 ---- initials of, 252

Bible, initials from G. Zainer’s editions of, 15, 24, 113, 115, 118 _sq._ ---- Latin, of Basle, initials from, 29, 134 ---- initial from Ulm edition, 1480, 127 ---- initial from a Lyons, 211 ---- German edition, pictorial initials of the fifth, 17, 118 _sq._ ---- fourth edition by Frisner and Sensenschmidt, 26, 129 _sq._ ---- initials from Nuremberg edition, 129 _sq._ ---- the Bishops’, initials in, 108_c_, 279

Bibles, Augsburg and Nuremberg, compared, 17

_Biblia cum Summariis et Concordantiis_ of Jean Moylin, initials of, 78, 212 _sq._

_Biblia Pauperum_, the block-book, 4

Birckmann, Franc, Hagenau initials copied by, 105

Blanchard, remarkable initials used in works by, 77, 210

Block-books, initials from, 110

Bocard, André, initials in books printed by, 83, 108_b_

Book-hunting in time of Aulus Gellius, 1

Book-plate forming part of early Nuremberg impression, 27

Brandis, Lucas, initials from _Rudimenta Novitiorum_ and _Josephus_ of, 39, 146 _sq._

Breidenbach, Bernard von, initial from Reuwich’s edition of his _Peregrinationes_, 75, 112 ---- initials from Ortuin’s Lyons edition, 198

Brescia, initials from works printed at, 71, 189

Bridget, St., _Meditationes_, initials used in Lübeck edition of, 148 _sq._

Brocart, Arn. de, initials used by, 259

Bumgart de Ketwyck, initials used by, at Cologne, 165

Burgofranco, J. P. de, initials in _Hyginus de Stellis_ printed by, 67, 188

Burgos, initial used at, 256

Byzantium, books of, on purple parchment, 2

Calcar, J. van, initials of, in Anatomy of Vesalius, 37, 144 _sq._

Calligraphic initials from Paris title-pages, 83

Capcasa, Matteo, initials from works published by, 58, 174 _sq._

Cassiodorus, initial from works of, by Steyner, 21

Castilla, G., initial used by, at Valencia, 253

_Catalogus Sanctorum_ of Saccon, 76, 214 _sqq._

_Catholicon_ of J. Wolff, selected initials from, 76, 206 _sq._

Caxton, W., initials used by, 108_b_, 277

Cervicornus or Hirtzhorn, Euch., initials in works published by, 52, 168 _sq._

Charlemagne invites Irish and Anglo-Saxon monks to his kingdom, 2

Charles the Bald welcomes foreign artists, 2

Chauny, Jean de, initials from works printed by, 251

Chevallon, Claude, initial representing scenes from _Ars Moriendi_ in work published by, 88, 238

Children, initials with, used by Venice printers, 61 ---- copied by printers of Basle, Cologne, and Hagenau, 61

Cicero, initials from German edition of, by Steyner, 21

Cocksperger, Peter, and the Mayence Psalter initials, 10

Coimbra, initials used by J. Alvira of, 98, 253

Cologne, initial from Donatus of, 51, 165 ---- other initials used at, 165 _sq._

Como, initials of _Vitruvius_ printed at, 68, 187

_Compilacion de Leyes_, initials from Zamora edition, 255

Complutum (Alcala de Henares), initial used in liturgical works printed by Brocart at, 100, 259

_Cosmographia_ of Ptolemy, initials from, 24, 127 ---- of Sebastian Munster, account of Psalter initials in the, 9

Cranmer, Archbishop, initial with his arms, 108_c_, 279

Cromberger, J., initials used by, 256

Cross-hatching, invention of, 20

Cunningham, William, initials in his _Cosmographical Glasse_, 108_c_, 279

Curio, Valentin, initials used by, at Basle, 36, 140 _sq._

_Dance of Death_ alphabets used at Basle, 137 ---- ---- alphabet, Strasburg copies of, 33, 138 ---- ---- alphabet in books published at Stella, 98, 257

Dante, praises French miniaturists, 3

Day, John, initials used by, 108_c_, 278 _sq._

Delft, initial used by Jacob van der Meer at, 102, 260

_Deutscher Kalender_, initials from, 44

Dinckmut, Conrad, initial and border from _Donatus_ printed by, 12, 111

_Doctrinal de Sapience_, initial from title-page of, 53, 163

Donatus, Aelius, Latin primer of, 4 ---- initial from edition of, by Quentell, 12 ---- with Psalter initials attributed to Gutenberg (1456), 9 ---- initial from xylographic impression by Dinckmut, 12, 111

Drach, Peter, initials in red from missal of Spires printed by, 103, 263

Dresden, initial used at, 270

Dupré, Jean, ornamental letters in the _Vies des Anciens Saincts Pères_ of, 82

Dürer, Albert, makes innovation in engraving, 20 ---- ---- ornamental letters attributed to, 52, 168 _sq._

Elizabeth, Queen, portrait-initial of, 108_c_, 280

English copies of initials by Kerver, 241

Erasmus, Desiderius, initial with portrait of, 78, 211

Esslingen, initials in works printed at, 46

Estienne, H., initials from work published by, 86, 232

_Etymologicum Magnum_ of Callierges, coloured initials in the, 11

_Eusebio di Comento_, initials from Salamanca edition of, 96, 288

_Ex-libris_, initial forming, from book printed at Paris, 83

Fabio, Jacopo, mythological letters in works published by, 81, 225

Ferrara, alphabet of initials from work of Joh. Philippus Bergomensis printed at, 69, 190 ---- initials from _Missale Carthusiense_ of, 69, 191 _sq._

Finé, Oronce, initial with portrait of, 87

Fool, first engraving of a, in a woodcut border, 23 ---- first example of the, in woodcut initials, 17 ---- in church architecture and early book ornamentation, 23

Forestier, Jacques, specimens of alphabets used in a _Commines_ printed by, 93, 248

Formschneider, opposition of, to the use of woodcut initials, 15

Fossombrone, initials in work published by Ottaviano dei Petrucci of, 67

Foxe, John, portrait-initial of Queen Elizabeth, in his _Book of Martyrs_, 108_c_, 280

Fradin, François, children’s alphabet used by, 78, 211 ---- initials from the _Regimen Sanitatis_ of Magnini printed by, 77, 209

Frank, Hans, initial signed by, 81

Friburgensis, Johann, _Summa Confessorum_, Augsburg, G. Zainer (1476), initials used in, 15, 111

Frisner and Sensenschmidt, initials from fourth German Bible by, 26, 129 _sqq._

Froben, Johann, initials of Holbein in works by, 37

Froschouer, Johann, initials in books printed at Zurich by, 38, 145

Fürter, Michael, initials from books printed by, 31, 135

Fust, Johann, association of, with Scheffer, 6

_Galen_, initials from Basle edition of, 139, 142

Gelli, René, initials in Greek lexicon of, 142

Geneva, large calligraphic initials from books printed at, 53, 163 ---- other initials used at, 164

Gering, Ulrich. _See_ Rembolt and Gering.

Ghotan, Bartholomew, initials used by, at Lübeck, 40, 147 _sqq._

Giunta, Lucantonio di, initials from missals and breviaries printed by, 59, 171 _sqq._, 176 _sqq._

Gouda, initials used by Godfrid de Os at, 101, 108_b_, 260

Graf, Urs, initials by, 136

Gregoriis, G. and J. de, initials from Herodotus and other works printed by, 59, 183 _sq._

Grotesque, the, in book ornamentation, 87 ---- profiles, earliest example of, 16

Grüninger, Johann, initials from works printed by, 46-47, 48, 160 _sq._

Gutenberg, Johann, invention of printing by, 6

Gutenberg Bible sold by Scheffer as a manuscript, 8

Gutnecht, Jodocus, initials in _Missale Pataviense_ of, 28, 132, 133

Gyffer, Hans, of Silgenstat, initials from works published at Salamanca by, 96, 288

Gymnicus, J., alphabets in works printed by, 53, 167

Hagenau, initials of Benedictine missal printed at, 104, 264 _sq._ ---- initials from Plinius printed by Thomas Anselm at, 104, 273

Halle’s Chronicle, initials in, 108_c_, 279

Harentals, Petrus de, initials used in an _Expositio Psalterii_ by, 245

Heineken, C. H. von, attributes Psalter initials to Meydenbach, 9

Henry VII., initial with his arms, 279

Heraldic initials. _See_ Initials, Armorial.

Hochffeder, Gaspard, initial from Psalter of Metz printed by, 106, 272

Hohenwang, Ludwig, initials used by, 116

Holbein, Ambrose, initials by, 144 ---- Hans, alphabets of, 32, 139 _sqq._ ---- ---- children’s alphabet by, 35, 139 ---- ---- _Dance of Death_ alphabet by, 32, 137 ---- ---- initial of, in books by Valentine Curio, 36 ---- ---- mistakes in anatomy, 34 ---- ---- peasants’ alphabet by, 35 ---- ---- the four Greek initials from the _Galen_ of 1538, 36

Holl, Leonard, initials in work printed by, 24, 127

Holtrop, J. W., early Dutch initials copied from works published by, 101

Hongre, Pierre, initials from missal of, 202 _sqq._

Hopyl, Wolfgang, initials used by, 86, 232 _sq._

Hostingue, L., and J. Loys, initials from work published by, 91, 250

Hupfuff, M., initials in works printed by, 45

Husz, Mathieu, initials used by, at Lyons, 197, 199

_Imagines_ of Varro, described by Pliny, 2

Ingoldstadt, initials of M. Ostendorfer used at, 107

Initials, anthropomorphic, of Strasburg printers, 45 ---- armorial, 85, 108_c_, 230, 279 ---- coloured, used by Roman copyists, 1 ---- from the _Libro Sotilissimo_, a typographical curiosity printed at Stella, 99 ---- large calligraphic, on title-pages of books printed at Lyons, 75, 200 ---- mythological, 224 _sq._ ---- in minium or cinnabar of sixth century, 2 ---- of chequer work, 3 ---- resembling Gallo-Frank jewellery, 3 ---- vagaries in use of, 24

Israel von Mecken, initials by, 27

Italy, influence of French art in, 3

Josephus, initials from Lübeck edition of, 146

Josse Bade. _See_ Bade.

Kaisersperg, Geyler von, initials in works of, 46, 49, 161 _sq._

Keller, Ambrose, initials from works printed by, 16-17, 115

Kerver, Thielmann, initials by, 241

Knoblochtzer, Heinrich, initials from works printed by, 43, 155 _sq._

Knoblouch, Johann, initials in works printed by, 46, 189, 272

Lecoq, Jean, alphabet from _La Vie de Monseigneur St. Bernard_ by, 91, 244 ---- letters with grotesque profiles from different works printed by, 90, 243

Leeu, Gerard, initials used by, 102, 261

Leicester, Earl of, initial with his arms, 108_c_, 279

Lenoir, Philippe, initials in works published by, 87, 234, 237, 241

Leo the Isaurian burns the public library, 2

Lerouges, les, initials from _La Thoison d’Or_ printed by, 90, 242

Leroy, Guillaume, initials used by, 73, 195 _sq._

Le Signerre, Guillaume, initials used by, at Saluzzo, 189

_Lettres parlantes_ in Lyons impression, 81 ---- _tourneures fleuronnées_ used by Leroy in 1479, 73

_Liber Biblie Moralis_ of J. Zainer, initials in, 23

Lilius, Zacharias, initials from the _Breviarium Orbis_ of, 182

Limoges, initials from missal printed at, 94, 252

Locatellus, Bonetus, initials used in works printed by, 60, 174 _sq._

Louvain, historiated initial from fifteenth-century missal printed at, 102, 261

Lübeck, initials from works published at, 39, 146 _sqq._

Lufft of Wittemberg, initials used by, 105, 270

Lützelberger, Hans, _Dance of Death_ initials engraved by, 137

Lyons, initials from books printed at, 194 _sqq._

Lyons missals, initials used in different, 75 ---- copy of Cologne initial, 169

Macabre initials used at Cologne, 170

Maiblümchen or lily of the valley design in early books, 5

Mainz. _See_ Mayence.

_Margarita Davitica_, initial of G. Zainer from, 16, 114

Marriage licence, pictorial initial from, 108, 276

Martens, Thierry, initials used by, 102, 261

Mathieu Husz and Jean Schabeler, initials used in Boccaccio of, 74

Mayence, initial in Erhardt Reuwich’s _Breidenbach_, 13, 112 ---- initial in Scheffer’s _Æsop_ printed at, 13, 112 ---- later Scheffer initial, 273

Mazochius, Jacobus, portrait of Ariosto in work published by, 65, 185

Medici, Cosmo de, initial with portrait of, 63, 184

_Meditations of St. Bridget_, initials from Lübeck edition of, 40

Meer, Jacob van der, initials used by, at Delft, 260

_Melusine_, initials from Lyons edition of, 199

Milan, initials from works printed at, 70, 192 _sq._ ---- initials from works printed by Joannes de Castellione at, 70

Miniatures in books of Athens and Rome, 2 ---- in mediæval manuscripts, 2

_Mirabilia Romae_, historiated initial of the, 12, 112

_Missale Atrebatense_, initials from, 246, 247 ---- _Bambergense_, initials from the edition by J. Pfeyl, 152 _sq._ ---- _Benedictinum_, initials from Hagenau edition of, 264 _sqq._ ---- _Evangeliare_ of Wittemberg, initials from, 105, 270 ---- _Olumucense_, coloured initials of the, 11-41, 150 _sq._ ---- _Pataviense_, pictorial initials from, 132 _sq._, 271 ---- _Vallisumbrose_, large pictorial initials from, 59, 176 _sqq._

Missals printed at Lyons, initials from, 201 _sqq._, 205 ---- printed at Paris, 232 _sqq._ ---- printed at Rouen, 247 _sq._

Modernes, Jacques, curious initial in work on Military Art printed by, 81, 222

Monks, Irish and Anglo-Saxon, celebrated for miniatures and historiations, 2

Montfaucon, alphabet of animals of, 3

Morin, Martin, calligraphic initial from missal printed by, 92, 246 ---- ---- initials from other works published by, 92-93, 246 _sq._

Morton, Archbishop, initial with his rebus, 108_c_, 277

Moylin, Jean, initials from his Latin Bible, 78, 212 _sq._

Müller, Johann, or Regiomontanus, works by, 25

Murr, C. G. von, and the artist of the Psalter initials, 10

Nardi, Simeon, initials from _Datus_ published by, 65, 185 _sq._

Naudé, Gabriel, accusation against Scheffer, 8

_Normandie, Coustumier de_, curious initials from a, 92, 250

Novesianus, Melchior, imitations of Alphabet of Death in works printed by, 53 ---- ---- other initials used by, 167

Nuremberg, curious work attributed variously to Stuchs, Zeninger, and Wagner published at, 26, 54 ---- initials from books printed at, 128 _sqq._

Ornamentation of early books, 1

Oronce Finé. _See_ Finé.

Ortuin, Gaspard, initial from Breidenbach’s _Peregrinationes_, 75, 198

Os, Godfrid de, initials used by, 260

Otino da Pavia de la Luna, initials in the _Vita di Sancti Padri_ of, 62, 179 _sq._

Pachel, Leonard, initials used by, at Milan, 193

Papillon, J. B. M., testimony of, concerning the artist of the Psalter initials, 10

Paris, renowned for its manuscripts and copyists, 3 ---- initials used at, 226 _sqq._

Pavia, initials used at, 188

Peter, St., portrait initial of, 276

Petrarch, initials from German translation of his _De remediis utriusque fortunæ_, by Steyner, 21

Petri, Adam, repetition of same initial in books printed by, 31 ---- ---- pilgrim initial used by, 136

_Petroine, La vie et légende de Mme. Ste._, initials from, 95, 252

Pfister, Alb., impressions of, resembling block-books, 11

Pflantzmann, J., initials from books printed by, 16, 116

Philip le Bel, portrait initial of, 262

Philosophers, alphabets of, 81, 223 _sq._

Pius II., Pope, portrait initial of, 184

Playing-cards, method of printing, 4

_Plenarium_, initials used in Strasburg edition of, 158

Pogge, J. F., initials from edition of, printed by Knoblouch, 46, 159

Poitiers, initials from books printed at, 94, 251

Polychrome initials in early books, 11

Ponte, Gotardus de, initials from Vitruvius printed by, 187

Poullet, J., initials used by, 204

_Prestre Jehan_, historiated initial from title-page of, 73, 195 ---- ---- initials from Paris edition of, 237

_Propriétaire_, initials from Rouen editions of, 92, 249 ---- letters from Lyons edition of, 77, 208

Prusz, Johann, initials used by, at Strasburg, 46, 158

Psalter of Mayence initials, Bodman hoaxes Fischer concerning, 8 ---- initials from Furter’s Basle edition of, 135 ---- initials from edition by J. Prusz of Strasburg, 46, 154 ---- initials said to have been used by Gutenberg, 8 ---- opinions as to the initials of, 7

Ptolemy, initials from Ulm edition of the _Cosmographia_, 24, 127

Pynson, Richard, initials from his Sarum Missal, 108_b_, 277

Quadragesimale of Gritsch, pictorial border of the, 23

Quentell, Heinrich, initials from volumes printed by, 53, 165 _sq._

Ratdolt, Erhard, initials from _Calendarium_ of J. di Monteregio (Johannes Regiomontanus) by, 57, 171 ---- ---- initials in _Brevarium Constantiense_ of 1516 by, 19, 123 ---- ---- initials in breviary by, 18, 121 _sq._ ---- ---- initials in psalter of 1499 by, 18-19, 122 ---- ---- Latin couplet on, 19

_Rationale Durandi_, ornamented with some of the same initials as Psalter of Mayence, 11

Reger, Johann, initials in works printed by, 25, 128

Rembolt and Gering, initials from volumes printed by, 83-84, 228 _sqq._

Reutlingen, initials in works printed at, 49, 162

Richard de Bury praises libraries of Paris, 3

Richel, Bernard, initials from Latin Bible of, 29

Rome, initials used at, 185

Rouen, initials used at, 11, 245 _sqq._

Royal letters designed by Geoffroy Tory for Robert Estienne, 89, 240

_Rudimenta Novitiorum_, initials from Lübeck edition of, 146 _sq._

Saccon, Jacques, initials in _Catalogus Sanctorum_ of, 78, 214 _sqq._ ---- ---- different initials in works printed by, 80, 201, 205, 209, 222

Salamanca, initials used at, 258

Saluzzo, initials in _Aureum Opus_ of Vivaldus printed by Le Signerre at, 68, 189

Sarum missal, initials from Pynson’s edition of, 108_b_, 277

Saxo Grammaticus, armorial initials from History of Denmark by, 85, 230

Schabeler, Hans, initials used by, at Lyons, 197

Schäufelein, Hans, initials by, 49

Scheffer, Peter, association of, with Fust, 6 ---- ---- initials used by, 107, 112, 273

Schiedam, initial used by unknown printer of, 102, 261

Schlestadt, initials of Pilgrim, from book printed by Lazarus Schurer at, 106

Scinzenzeller, Ulr., initials used by, 192

Schönsperger, Johann, initials from works printed by, 16, 116

Schott, initials in works printed by, 45, 157

Sessa, different initials met with in impressions by, 59, 181 ---- initials from Aristotle printed by, 62, 178

Seville, initials from books printed by Jacob Cromberger at, 98 ---- initials from book printed by Juan de Varila at, 98, 253

Sienna, initials in books published at, 65-66, 185

Silber, Eucharius, ornamental letter from book published, 65, 185

Sorg, Anton, historiated initials from _Das Buch das heisset der Seusse_ of Suso, 18, 120 ---- ---- initials from works printed by, 16-17, 115, 120

Spanish initials, 253 _sqq._

_Speculum Humanæ Salvationis_, a transition from xylography to printing, 4

Spires, initials used at, 263

Stamps used for applying initials by early copyists, 4

_Statuta Synodalia_, alphabet used in the Troyes edition of, 73, 243

Stella, copies of the Alphabet of Death used by Adrian Anverez at, 99, 257

Steyner, Heinrich, initials in works published by, 20, 124 _sq._

Strasburg, initials used at, 154 _sqq._

_Summa Confessorum_, initials of the, 15-16, 113

Suso, Henricus, initials from _Das Buch das heisset der Seusse_, 120

Sweynheim and Pannartz, initial from the Suetonius of, 65, 185

_Theoricae Novae_, initial from, 25

Tibullus quoted, 1

Topie, Michel, initial from _Mer des Hystoires_ of, 75, 198

Tory, Geoffroy, initials from missal attributed to, 88, 235 _sq._ ---- ---- royal letters attributed to, 240

Toulouse, initial used at, 252

Trepperel, Jean, grotesque initials in books published by, 83, 227

Trepperel, initials from _Jardin de Santé_ of, 86, 231

Tridino, Tacuinus de, initials in works published by, 60, 174

Troyes, initials used at, 242 _sqq._

Ulm, initial with border from Donatus printed at, 12, 111 ---- initials from other works printed at, 126 _sqq._

_Valerius Maximus_ of Sorg, initials from, 17

Varila, Juan de, initial used by, 253

Vascosan, Michael, initials by, 239

Venice, initials from works published at, 55, 171 _sqq._

Vérard, Antoine, calligraphic initial from the _Jardin de Santé_ of, 82, 226

Verona, ornamental letter from book printed at, 70, 189

Vesalius, initials of Van Calcar in Anatomy of, 37, 144 _sq._

Vicenza, example of typographic eccentricities in work printed at, 71, 189

Vienna, initials from _Missale Pataviense_ printed by J. Winterberger of, 106, 271

Virgil, the Vatican copy described by M. Pierre de Nolhac, 2

_Vita di Sancti Padri_, initials from the, of Otino da Pavia de la Luna, 62, 179 _sq._

Vitali, Bernardino, alphabet by, used in publications by Sessa, 60

_Vitruvius_, initials from Como edition of, 187

Walther, H., initials from Madgeburg Bible printed by, 107, 273

Weiditz, Hans, initials attributed to, by Dr. H. Röttinger, 20, 52, 124 _sq._

Winterberger, of Vienna, initials used by, 271

Wittemberg, apocalyptic initials from the _Missale Evangeliare_ printed at, 105, 270

Wohlgemuth, M., his new technical methods, 20

Worde, Wynkyn de, initial used by, 277

Worms, Anton von, children’s alphabets designed by, 53

Zainer, Günther, first used woodcut initials at Augsburg, 15 ---- ---- examples of his letters, 113 _sq._, 118 _sq._ ---- Johann, of Ulm, initials in Boccaccio of, 22, 126

Zamora, initials from _Compilacion de Leyes_ printed at, 96, 255

Zarotus, Antonius, initials used by, at Milan, 193

Zodiac, initials representing the signs of the, 87

Zurich, initials in books published by Froschouer of, 38, 145

FINIS

Transcriber’s Notes

The spelling, capitalisation and hyphenation of the source document have been retained (including those of proper names and book titles), except as listed under Changes made below.

Depending on the hard- and software used to read this text, not all elements may display as intended.

The book appears to contain several contradictions between the descriptions given and the illustrations. These have been retained as printed in the source document without further correction or comment.

Page 61, “At Turin ... we find that the L with the satyr,”: as printed in the source document; the sentence appears to be incomplete, or “we find that the L ...” might have to be corrected to “we find the L...”.

Page 238, “Original size” and “Enlargement”: Based on a quarto book size of around 29 cm, the “Original size” would be around 4.1 × 4.1 cm (1.6″ × 1.6″).

Changes made

Some obvious minor typographical and punctuation errors have been corrected silently.

Footnotes have been moved to under text paragraphs.

Page 39: “LUBECK” changed to “LÜBECK”.

Page 92: “Psalterum of Harentals” changed to “Psalterium of Harentals”.

Page 99: “(B Abraham)” changed to “B (Abraham)”.

Page 137: “LUTZELBERGER” changed to “LÜTZELBERGER”.

Page 142: captions “FROM THE GREEK LEXICON OF RENÉ GELLI” and “FROM THE ‘GALEN’ OF BEBELIUS AND CRATANDER” interchanged.

Page 252: “BEZANÇON” changed to “BESANÇON”.

Page 282: “Zamara” changed to “Zamora”.

Page 284: “Leo the Isaurian burns the public” changed to “Leo the Isaurian burns the public library”.

Index: some page numbers corrected or inserted to conform to the text.