Halley's Comet and Anti-Semitism in 1493, from the Nuremberg Chronicle. Woodblock by Schedel, Hartmann; Wolgemuth, Michel and Pleydenwurff, Wilhelm (ills) - 1493

Germany: Anton Koberger, 1493. First edition. Very good condition. Liber chronicarum- Nuremberg Chronicle, an individual page from the Chronicle. This print depicts the alleged ritual murder of the child Simon of Trent (Italy), a boy whose murder was blamed on the city's Jewish leaders, based on his body being allegedly found in a Jewish home, and the forced confessions of Jews who were tortured. The entire Jewish community of Trent was forced to admit to "blood libel" the accusation that because of Jewish hatred for Christianity, Jews allegedly murdered Christian children in order to use their blood for religious rituals. Fifteen of the Jewish leaders were sentenced to death and burned at the stake, and the trial gave rise to Christian violence against Jews. The verso is illustrated with 3 wood cuts, including Halley's Comet, which Edmond Halley, English astronomer, predicted would return every 76 years. The other two wood cuts depict Christian, King of Denmark, Sweden and Norway; and Hercules, Duke of Ferrara. This work by Schedel [1440-1514] is an illustrated world history which is based on the Bible, which follows the story of human history related in the Bible and includes the histories of a number of important Western cities. Written in Latin by Hartmann Schedel it appeared in 1493. It is a well documented incunabulum, one of the first to successfully combine illustrations and text. This epic history divides human history into seven ages. Published and printed by Anton Koberger, the godfather of Albrecht Durer and the most successful German publisher of his day. The woodcut illustrations were made in the workshop of Michael Wolgemut [1434 - 1519], with an unprecedented number of 1,809 illustrations. These wood blocks include views of cities and towns, battles, kings, and saints. Some images represent actual cities, and other images are purely imaginative. Approximately 12 x 17 1/4", b&w.