Very well-preserved incunable in 3 volumes, volume I with large woodcut depiction of the author
Basle: Johannes Amerbach, 1492
We are offering the first and only incunable edition of the complete works by Saint Ambrose.
The edition comprises 3 volumes and also contains additions by Johannes de Lapide. The first volume includes a large woodcut showing Saint Ambrose writing at his desk. This impressively plastic depiction was attributed by Joseph Meder to Durer while Frank Hieronymus ascribes it to the „Master of Haintz Narr“ (the name is derived from the involvement of the xylographer in Brant’s Narrenschiff (Ship of Fools).
The text is printed in double-column in 52 lines and a headline using mostly a nice Gothic type, partly also a Roman type.
Author
Saint Ambrosius (* 339 in Trier; † 397 in Milan) was elected bishop of Milan and became one of the four western Doctors of Church. In 1298 Ambrosius got awarded the title of a Church Father.
He is the patron of the bees, pets and of learning as well of the cities Milan and Bologna and also the patron saint of grocers, beekeepers, wax-chandlers and gingerbread bakers. His attributes in art are a beehive, a book and a scourge.
Publishers
Johannes Amerbach and Johannes Heynlin (de Lapide)
Johannes Heynlin (* about 1430 in Stein; † 1496 in Basle; also Johannes de Lapide; was a theologian, scholastic, humanist, academic teacher, preacher, printer (he installed the first printing press in Paris), rector of the Sorbonne in Paris) and Carthusian monk.
Printer
Johann(es) (von) Amerbach (* about 1444 in Amorbach (Odenwald); † 1513 in Basle, actually Johannes Welcker) was one of the most important printers and publisher of the incunabula era in Basle.
The range of his printing and publishing house was particularly influenced by the ideals and aims of humanism. So Amerbach printed the works of contemporary humanist like Petrarca or Ficinus. He also published editions of Latin bibles, scholastic writings, antique classics, dictionaries as well as scientific editions of the works of the church fathers.
