Beschreibung:

20 nn. Bll., CLXXIX num. Bll., 4 (statt 5) nn. Bll. mit 1 ganzseit. Titelholzschnitt, 72 (davon 5 fast ganzseit. und 2 ca. halbseitige) Holzschnitte, 2 halbseit. Kalender-Holzschnitte (Sonne und Mond) und 1 ganzseit. Holzschnitt-Druckermarke sowie Holzschnitt-Bordüren auf jeder Seite von Hans Springinklee, Erhard Schön u. a. Kl.-8°. Ldr. des 20. Jahrhunderts auf 5 Bünden mit Rückentitel sowie historisierten Beschlägen und Schließen.

Bemerkung:

Adams I, H 1006. VD 16, H 5067. Dodgson I, 562. - "Zu Beginn des 16. Jahrhunderts fand das kleine Andachtsbuch `Hortulus Animae` ungewöhnlich große Nachfrage. Zwischen 1498 und 1523 erschienen über 100 Ausgaben dieser Sammlung von Gebeten, die in deutscher Übersetzung meist als `Seelengärtlein` bezeichnet wurde. ... Allen gemeinsam sind der Kalender, das kleine Marienoffizium, die sieben Bußpsalmen, die Allerheiligenlitanei, die Suffragien und das Totenoffizium." (Ausstellungskatalog Schäfer 71). - A prayer book which both in its Latin and German forms was exceedly popular in the early years of the sixteenth century. The first known edition was printed at Strasburg by William Schaffener of Rappeltsweiler, and is dated 13 March, 1498. After that date new editions with various supplements and modifications were constantly issued by other printers both in Strasburg and other German cities, and even at Lyons. Many of them, though small in size, were illustrated with beautifully designed woodcuts. Mr. C. Dodgson gives a list of eighteen editions between 1516 and 1521, all of which contained cuts by the well-known engravers Hans Springinklee and Erhard Schön. The earliest German edition appeared in 1501, but the Latin editions on the whole predominate. With regard to its contents, the "Hortulus" bears a general resemblance to the Horae and Primers which were then the form of prayer book most familiar in France and England. As in these latter, the Little Office of our Lady always occupies the place of honour, but the "Hortulus" contains a greater variety of popular prayers, many of them recommended by curious and probably spurious indulgences. The name "Hortulus Animae" was derived not from the aesthetic but from the utilitarian aspects of a garden, as is shown by the three Latin distichs prefixed to most copies of the work. The first two lines run (but not in this copy): Ortulus exiguus varias ut saepe salubres / Herbas producit, quas medicina probat. (A tiny garden will often produce a variety of salutary herbs of which medicine knows the value). - "The Clein-Koberger editions of the `Hortulus` are representative of a publishing area which may be considered the German equivalent of the French Horae B. M. V. The text was composed of an Office of the Virgin and a variety of popular prayers, including prayers of individual saints. The early Clein editions are illustrated with blocks which may have been supplied by A. Koberger or cut by French artists working in the German techniques. With the introduction of the Springinklee-Schön cuts in 1516, these editions are no longer French but German illustrated books" (Mortimer, French 320). - Es fehlt das vorletzte Blatt (mit dem Druckvermerk). - Einige wenige Holzschnitte mit alter unsachgemäßer Ankolorierung (fast nur in Schwarz und Gelb). Vom Anfang gegen die Mitte abnehmend mit kleinen Wurmlöchern. Durchgehend etw. wasserrandig und etw. gebräunt, kaum fleckig. Das letzte Blatt (Druckermarke) mit altem hs. Text hinterlegt.