Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel (1704)

Frontispiece
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel, Frontispiece
Title page
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel, Frontpage

T he title page (to the right) says it all: »Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel / Das ist: Sonnen-klahre Vorstellung Menschlicher Nichtigkeit / Durch alle Stände und Geschlechter: Vermittelst schöner Kupffern / Lehr-reicher Bey-Schrifften und Hertz-beweglich angehängter Todten-Lieder. Ehmahls herauss gegeben Durch Rudolph und Conrad Meyern / Mahlern in Zürch. Anjetzo aber mit Lateinischen Unter-Schrifften der Kupffer vermehret und aussgezieret / von dem Welt-berühmten Poëten Augustino Casimiro Redelio, Belg. Mech. Sac. Cæs. Majest. L. P. Augspurg / Zu finden bey Johann Philipp Steudner. Druckts / Abraham Gugger / 1704«.

The book is a copy of Sterbensspiegel, which was published by Rudolph and Conrad Meyer in 1650. In this copy the quatrains under each plate have been replaced by a Latin text by August Casimir Redel (1656 - 1710) from the Belgian city of Mechelen. The book was printed in Augsburg in 1704.

Francis Douce writes:

  In 1704 copies of 52 of these etchings were published at Augsburg, under the title of "Tripudium mortis per victoriam super carnem universæ orbis terræ erectum. Ab A. C. Redelio S. C. M. T. P." on a label held by Death as before. Then the German title "Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel dast ist sonnen-klahre vorstellung menschlicher nichtigkeit durch alle stande und geschlechter: vermittelst schoner kupffern, lehr-reicher bey-schrifften und hertz-beweglich angehangter Todten-lieder ehmahls herauss gegeben durch Rudolph und Conrad Meyern mahlern in Zurch Anjetzo aber mit Lateinischen unterschrifften der kupffer vermehret und aussgezieret von dem Welt-beruhmten Poeten Augustino Casimiro Redelio, Belg. Mech. Sac. Cæs. Majest. L. P. Augsburg zu finden bey Johann Philipp Steudner. Druckts, Abraham Gugger. 1704." 4to.

That is, "An edifying mirror of mortality, representing the nullity of man through all stations and generations, by means of beautiful engravings in copper, instructive inscriptions, and heart-moving lays of Death, as an appendix to the work formerly edited by Rudolph and Conrad Meyern of Zurich, but now published with Latin inscriptions, and engravings augmented and renewed by the worldly renowned poet Augustin Casimir Redel, &c."

  In this edition the Pope and all the other religious characters are omitted, probably by design. The etchings are very inferior to the fine originals, and without the name of the artist. The dresses are frequently modernised in the fashion of the time, and other variations are occasionally introduced.

(Francis Douce, The dance of death exhibited in elegant engravings on wood, 1833, pp. 150-151)

As Douce points out, the clergy are missing. Sterbensspiegel from 1650 was organized into three groups or "crowds" that each were introduced by an unnumbered plate: The ecclesiasticals, the regents and the lower classes. Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel follows the same structure and it does in fact have a plate of Die sambtliche Geistlichkeit (the entire clergy), but the plate is not followed by any clergy, as the next plate is Der Regier-Stand, which in turn is followed by emperor, empress, etc.

The image of the soldier is also lacking because it's the same plate as the the highway robber with the same Latin verse with the heading »Latro«.

The copies are not bad, but in contrast the paper is, so it can be hard to see the scenes, when the print on the other side is bleeding through.

Resources

Frontpage
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Frontpage
Frontispiece
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Frontispiece
Creation
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Creation
Fall of Man
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Fall of Man
The Expulsion
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: The Expulsion
After the Fall
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: After the Fall
Ossuary
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Ossuary
Clergy
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Clergy
Rulers
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Rulers
Emperor
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Emperor
Empress
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Empress
King
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: King
Queen
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Queen
Prince
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Prince
Count
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Count
Knight
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Knight
Nobleman
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Nobleman
Judge
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Judge
Orphanage
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Orphanage
Captain
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Captain
Lower Classes
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Lower Classes
Physician
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Physician
Astrologer
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Astrologer
Merchant
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Merchant
Painters
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Painters
Craftsmen
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Craftsmen
Architect
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Architect
Innkeeper
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Innkeeper
Cook
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Cook
Peasant
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Peasant
Servant and maid
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Servant and maid
Old man
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Old man
Old woman
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Old woman
Lovers
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Lovers
Child
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Child
Soldier
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Soldier
Peddler
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Peddler
Robber
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Robber
Quack
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Quack
Blind
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Blind
Beggar
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Beggar
Jew
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Jew
Usurer
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Usurer
Gambler
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Gambler
Boozer
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Boozer
Glutton
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Glutton
Fool
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Fool
Certainty
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Certainty
Uncertainty
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Uncertainty
Judgment
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Judgment
Christ's Victory
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Christ's Victory
Salvation
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Salvation
Religion
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Religion
Erbaulicher
Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel 1704: Erbaulicher

Other interpreters of Holbein's dance of death

Artists/publishers:

Hans Holbein (1526) - so-called proofs
Hans Holbein (1538) - the originals
Heinrich Aldegrever (1541)
Heinrich Vogtherr (1544)
Vincenzo Valgrisi (1545)
Arnold Birckmann (1555)
Juan de Icíar (1555)
Valentin Wagner (1557)
Jiří Melantrich (1563)
Georg Scharffenberg (1576)
Leonhart Straub (1581)
David Chytraeus (1590)
Peter Paul Rubens (ca. 1590)
Fabio Glissenti (1596)
Eberhard Kieser (1617)
Rudolf and Conrad Meyer (1650)
Wenceslaus Hollar (1651)
De doodt vermaskert (1654)
Thomas Neale (1657)
Johann Weichard von Valvasor (1682)
→ Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel (1704)
Salomon van Rusting (1707)
T. Nieuhoff Piccard (1720)
Christian de Mechel (1780)
David Deuchar (1788)
John Bewick (1789)
Alexander Anderson (1810)
Wenceslaus Hollar (1816)
"Mr. Bewick" (1825)
Ludwig Bechstein (1831)
Joseph Schlotthauer (1832)
Francis Douce (1833)
Carl Helmuth (1836)
Francis Douce (1858, 2. edition)
Henri Léon Curmer (1858)
Tindall Wildridge (1887)

Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel is a copy of Sterbensspiegel.
Meyer, Sterbensspiegel
Many of Meyer's scenes, e.g. the Jew, were copied from Basel's dance of death.
Merian, Jew