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"Who is who'' in Germany before 1566

PANTALEON, Heinricus (BANDLIN, Hans Heinrich).
Prosopographiae heroum atque illustrium virorum totius Germaniae, pars prima [secunda & tertia]. In hac personarum desriptione omnium tam armis et autoritate, quam literis & religione totius Germaniae celebrium virorum vitae & res praeclarè gestae bona fide referentur, à condito mundo [pars 1] ... ad ... annum 1566 usque [pars 3]. Opus plane novum et uicundissimum, ex omnium fere gentium chronicis, annalibus, & historiis magna diligentia excerptum: & vivis heroum imaginibus (quantum fieri potuit) passim illustratum: ac nunc primum ob patriae decorum in lucem editum. ita quod instar continuae historiae Germanorum esse queat.

Woodcut printer's device on 3 titles, woodcut portrait of the author on the versos of the three titles accompanied by three different laudatory poems, numerous (ca. 1500) woodcut portraits of famous men (Emperors, Kings, noble men, scholars, scientists, etc.) in German history; printed genealogical trees.

Basle, (Heirs of) Nicolaus Brylinger, 1565-66. 3 parts in 1 volume. Folio. 19th century boards. Woodcut printer's device on 3 titles, woodcut portrait of the author on the versos of the three titles accompanied by three different laudatory poems, numerous (ca. 1500) woodcut portraits of famous men (Emperors, Kings, noble men, scholars, scientists, etc.) in German history; printed genealogical trees. (12), 291, (12); (8), 480, (12); (12), 565, (11) pp.

First edition of the magnum opus by the Swiss 'homo universalis' Heinricus Pantaleon (= Hans Heinrich Bantlin; 1522-1595), dean of the medical faculty at the University of Basle, containing biographies of the heroes and famous men in the history of 'Germany', including the Low Countries and Switserland from the time of Adam and Eve (the creation) to the date of publishing, 1566.
- Part 1 starts with the creation (the year 1) to the year 3970 (= the year 1 of the Christian era) and up to the year 800, containing such mythical old-Germanic heroes and monarchs as Tuisco, founder of the Germans, Adulas, Diclas, Obalus, etc.; with a laudatory poem under the portrait of Pantaleone by Paulus Cherlerus Elsterburgensis.
- Part 2 covers the years 800 -1500, containing a.o. a biography of Gutenberg, the founder of the art of printing; with a laudatory poem on the portrait by Samuel Holzachius.
- Part 3: 1501-1566, containing interesting biographies of Luther, Erasmus, Vesalius, Mercator, Orlando Lasso, Hieronymus Busleyden, Pope Hadrianus IV, Conrad Gesner, Martin Bucer and many others; with a laudatory poem by Helias Yppenberger Müldorfensis.

The numerous biographies are each accompanied by a woodcut portrait of ca. 58x38mm. Most of the portraits, however, are used more than one time, especially with the biographies of the partly mythical persons from remote times. Pantaleone based his encyclopaedia on the works of famous classical historians like Plutarch and Pliny. For the last and most interesting part, however, which starts at the year 1500, Pantaleone used his personal contacts, made during his many journals, to gather information for the biographies of his contemporaries. With its many woodcut portraits the book is not only important for the history and historiography of Germany and the Low Countries, but also gives a good insight in the cultural climate in the 16th century.

Good copy, with library stamp on title: Holstein Holsteinborg, and ms. ownership's entry of Nicolaus Johann Troderson, pastor in Rinckniss; bookplate of K.A. Jacobsen on inside frontcover.- (Some small wormholes in the first and last ca. 80 pp.).

Lipperheide 634 (German edition); Adams 179; VD 16, p. 228-229; Ebert 15766; BM German Books 673; Deutsche biogr. Enzycl. VII, p. 557; P. Delsaerdt a.o., Een zee van toegelaten lust, 42.

Related Subjects: 16th Century Biography Germany History Woodcuts

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