Die Bücher-Ornamentik Der Renaissance (Vol. I.) (page 1/5)

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62p.—Initial capital letter “P” from Dance of Death Alphabet.

This decorative initial letter “P”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. The skeleton figures in the alphabet represent death. This letter, P, includes a battle between a skeleton, representing Death, and a soldier. At first I tought the soldier was an early aircraft pilot wearing goggles, but it seems unlikely [...] [more...] [$]

62b.—Initial capital letter “B” from Dance of Death Alphabet

This decorative initial letter “B”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It features two skeletons, or death-figures, a dog and a pope. Some commentators say the dog is actually a demon, [...] [more...] [$]

Book cover, Ornamentik Der Renaissance (Vol. I.)

This ornamental book cover, with its baroque border, is marked Munich (München) 1922; presumably the book was either rebound or reissued in 1922. [more...] [$]

62g.—Initial capital letter “G” from Dance of Death Alphabet.

This decorative initial letter “G”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It shows two skeletons, or Death figures, siezing a queen; one skeleton plays the flute, or fife, [...] [more...] [$]

Drunken Man, Detail from Border

This part of the Sixteenth-Century border-image woodcut by Lucas Cranach the elder shows a man holding a large wineglass, holding a large tankard, with perhaps a barrel under his arm. He is crowned with flowers and his head is surrounded by bees. He is dressed in tatty rags, his leggings have holes at the knees and torn cuffs at the ankles, and his [...] [more...] [$]