Bible, German

The so-called ʻKobergerbibelʼ is the ninth edition of the Bible in German which was published in the 15th century. Johann Mentelin in Strasbourg had produced the first printed edition as early as 1466, and another thirteen came on the market before Martin Luther’s new translation. The text of the Nuremberg edition follows an earlier Augsburg print, but unlike his predecessor, Koberger lavishly illustrated the book with woodcuts. He had commissioned the woodcuts in a joint enterprise with a Cologne printer, who produced a Low German edition a few years before Koberger published his own with a High German text. By using the same woodcuts in two different editions, the printers’ consortium was able to reduce costs considerably. The printed illustrations were coloured by hand to make them resemble painted miniatures. A number of high-end copies were further enhanced with gold leaf. The painters’ workshop cooperated closely with Koberger’s printing house and followed a standard colouring scheme, as several surviving copies show near-identical decoration.

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