BREIDENBACH, BERNARD DE

Viaje a la Tierra Sancta

BREIDENBACH, BERNARD DE.

Viaje a la Tierra Sancta. Translated from Latin by Martí Martínez de Ampiés. Printer: Pablo Hurus. Zaragoza, 16th January 1498.

Size: 31 x 22 cm. 178 leaves (356 pages partly numbered). Gothic lettering. Xylographic initials. Fold out plans of cities and 8 illustrations.

Incunabulum in which Pablo Hurus, in his Zaragoza printing house, in 1498 offers the most richly illustrated edition of this text which had previously seen significant editions. Blocks of wood were used from previous editions based on the drawings of Erhard Reuwich. Seven panoramic views, fold out plans (that which represents the Holy Land measuring more than one meter), are included in this Mainz edition from 1486. The view of Rome only appears in this edition and is inspired by that in the Liber chronicarum of H. Schedel, edition of A. Koberger from 1493. Another 14 drawings represent buildings, groups of people, animals and alphabets, are framed within typically Spanish xylographic borders. A full page drawing shows an allegorical scene of Mainz and 66 drawings recount evangelical events.

The lists of pilgrims who visit the Holy Land was much appreciated and edited in the following two centuries.

-Our edition: Valencia, 1996. Coedited with the Biblioteca Nacional de Madrid.

-Edition of 3.000 unique copies, numbered by notary and signed by the printer-publisher.

-Binding: parchment on wooden board.

-Presentation case in cloth with leather spine engraved in gold containing the facsimile and study in Spanish.

-Specially made laid paper.

-Study in Spanish carried out by María Cruz Cabeza Sánchez de Albornoz (Director of the Biblioteca General e Histórica de la Universidad de Valencia). Included in Bibliofilia Antigua III.