SCHEDEL, Hartmann
(b. 1440, Nürnberg, d. 1514, Nürnberg)

Nuremberg Chronicle, Page 100: View of the city of Nuremberg

1493
Woodcut
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich

Woodcut illustrations from Michael Wolgemut's workshop were at the time some of the best in terms of technique that were available on the European market. New effects in their preparation, finer interior details and the suggestion of spatiality increased demand. The 645 illustrations for the Nuremberg Chronicle (Liber chronicarum) by the Nuremberg doctor and humanist Hartmann Schedel became particularly famous. This work, which appeared in 1493, contained a total of 1809 woodcuts and, with its illustrations and descriptions based on the seven ages, was meant to represent a history of the world and its peoples. The chronicle became internationally famous, and the 123 pictures of cities may have contributed considerably to its popularity. The largest depiction, a view of the then world and trade metropolis of Nuremberg, is a good example of the way city views were recorded in all their detail.

Schedel's view of the city of Nuremberg depicts the city from the south, from which direction the hill with the castle is easily recognizable. The mass of houses rises above the double circle of the city walls. The two main churches, St Sebald and St Lorenz, are also emphasized by inscriptions. The sheet has frequently been copied.