Marrin's Bookshop

Synopsis

A rare and fine 19th century edition of the durer cycle which has become known as the small passion, depicting the life of christ. this edition was made using durer's original woodblocks, which had come into the possession of the british museum. as detailed in the preface, the editor, henry cole, curator of the victoria and albert museum, had stereotype casts made from the originals in order to produce this edition. from the preface: the present work, with the exception of two subjects, is taken from the original engravings drawn by albrecht durer himself on the wood, and engraved under his own supervision. thirty-five of the thirty-seven of them have found a secure resting place in the british museum.

Item Description

Plainly bound in quarter leather with velum tips. 6 x 8.5 inches. 53 unpaginated pages. Previous owners inscription on inside of first free end paper. Pickering bookbinding label on front paste down. Illustrations consist of 37 stereotype copies of woodcuts designed by Albrecht Durer for the original edition, comprising illustration on facsimile of the original title page and 36 full-page images. Thirty-five were printed from stereotypes made from the 35 original woodcut blocks that had been acquired by the British Museum; the remaining two were engraved by Thurston Thompson after the original prints.