Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 379 



LXII. — On a Copy, probably unique, op " The Life op the Virgin." 

 {Epitome In Divae Parthenices Mariae Historian, fyc), by Albert 



DuRER ; "WITH THE "WOODCUTS AND LATIN VeESE OP ChELIDONIUS. 



Described by Dr. William Frazer, M. E. I. A. 



[Read, February 25, 1878.] 



That series of remarkable woodcuts which constitutes Diirer' s well- 

 known "Life of the Virgin," representing a succession of scenes relating 

 to the Apocryphal and Biblical history of Mary, has always been 

 ranked with the more perfect and elaborate of the inventions of the 

 great artist of Kurnberg. Together with his other wondrous produc- 

 tions on copper and wood, they rendered his name celebrated all over 

 the civilized world, and perhaps at no time were they more prized or 

 studied than in the present age. Immediately on their appearance 

 they must have been sold in considerable numbers in the book markets 

 of Germany, the Low Countries, Italy, and probably Prance ; and 

 better evidence cannot be given of the wide-spread popularity and of 

 the high position accorded to them by artists, than their having been 

 copied, immediately on their publication, by Marc Antonio, who, with 

 his own hand, reproduced these woodcuts upon copper plates, and is 

 said to have sold them by hundreds in Venice. The complete series 

 issued by Diirer consists of twenty woodcuts. Of these, Antonio 

 pirated seventeen, omitting the beautiful title-page of the ' ' Virgin and 

 Child," seated on the half moon; the "Death of the Virgin," and the 

 " Assumption." 



To assist us in determining the period when Diirer produced this 

 series, we find that three of the plates bear dates : thus, the "History 

 of Joachim and Anna" have the year 1509, as I would read it : the 

 last figure, which I read as 9, is peculiarly shaped ; yet I cannot agree 

 with some good French critics who consider it to be a 4 (see remarks 

 on this point in the Sale Catalogue of the Firmin Diclot Collection). 

 The " Death of the Virgin " bears also a date, 1510 ; and the " Crown- 

 ing of the Virgin " is] marked with the same year. The two latter 

 plates were not copied by Antonio, who also omits from his series the 

 " Virgin seated on the half moon," as already mentioned. 



An alleged "Premier Edition," as it is termed by writers, is sup- 

 posed to have been published by Diirer. Its distinguishing marks are 

 the absence of all text upon the verso of the plates, and the high 

 quality of the impressions, which are usually very fine. From this 

 series the "Virgin on the half moon" is invariably absent; it appears 

 for the first time associated with the issue containing the verses of 

 Chelidonius. I doubt greatly whether such an edition ever ap- 

 peared as a connected series ; if it did, it must be of exceptional rarity. 

 M. Haussmann declares he failed to find it complete in any collection, 

 even the most celebrated ; and the copy sold at the Firmin Didot sale 

 consisted of twelve plates printed upon paper with the water-mark of 



SEE. II., VOL I., POL. LIT. AND AXTIQ. 3 D 



