Bible in Low German
Lübeck: Steffen Arndes, 1494
357 x 259 mm, 492 leaves, 151 woodcut illustrations by the Master of the Lübeck Bible and a collaborator
fol. D2v: The Pharaoh's dream
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Bible in Low German
Lübeck: Steffen Arndes, 1494
357 x 259 mm, 492 leaves, 151 woodcut illustrations by the Master of the Lübeck Bible and a collaborator
fol. f.i.: Moses striking water from the rock, and Israel defeats the Amalekites
Bible in Low German
Lübeck: Steffen Arndes, 1494
357 x 259 mm, 492 leaves, 151 woodcut illustrations by the Master of the Lübeck Bible and a collaborator
fol. 3v: St. Jerome
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This is one of only four pre-Reformation complete Bibles translated into Middle Low German. The editor of the present Bible translated large parts into this language – especially the Old Testament up to Kings – while the remaining text is compiled from the preceding Cologne Bible.
The illustrations are of unique quality. The lively and expressive design of the figures and the painterly approach and sophisticated rendering of landscape distinguish their style from the whole production of German book illustration.
The majority of the cuts are attributed to two different masters whose general style is derived from the Netherlands. The more accomplished Master A (usually known as the Master of the Lübeck Bible) has recently been linked to Flemish manuscript illumination as he collaborated with the Master of James IV of Scotland, who was active in Ghent.
