Magical Calendar Monograph

by Ben Atlas on 06.10.2010.2:51pm · 3 comments

This is a c. 1582 1614 (see comment by Adam McLean) monograph from the Dresden library. The entire folio consists on these tree plates (click to enlarge). You can examine the original folio in various formats. But there is little information available about this book, I even called Dresden to find out.

I would be interested to know if the author of the monograph is known and if this a lone book or representative of a school. In a way this a perfect fusion of the European cultural traditions.

via bibliodyssey

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

peacay June 11, 2010 at 9:28 am 1

Ben, I passed the link to this work onto Adam McLean of the Alchemywebsite and he said that it was “a nice colour version” suggesting that this is a known format or the like. He didn’t elaborate but he’s the man to ask about it for sure -(he’s been generous in the past with opinions when I’ve alerted him to new esoteric material on the web but I’m kind of reluctant to ask him directly: I figure he’s busy enough or whatever and don’t want to piss him off and lose him as an occasional resource)- so maybe you can email him and ask him about it. If you do, please let me know.

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Benjamin Atlas June 11, 2010 at 12:25 pm 2

Thanks, I emailed Adam McLean.

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Adam McLean June 13, 2010 at 9:52 am 3

This is a manuscript copy of the De Bry engraving. The date given by the Dresden Library “c. 1582″ is incorrect. The original manuscript of the Magical Calendar is in the British Library as MS. Harley 3420. This was written by Johann Baptista Grossschedel in 1614. This was used to make the engraving later published by De Bry.

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