Combining the woodcut printing from the fifteenth century, with Johannes Gutenberg's invention of printing with moveable type resulted in a powerful explosion of information and ideas. Featured in A Heavenly Craft are the earliest surviving examples of these books from throughout Western Europe, all printed within the first century after Gutenberg's invention.

The contributors bring these rare books to life, exploring the evolution of the technique, composition, and coloration of the woodcut beginning with the earliest publications. The authors also present the distinguishing features of national style and taste, treating the reader to examples from all over Europe. In addition, A Heavenly Craft describes the provenance of these volumes, providing an account of how Lessing J. Rosenwald purchased them from the heir to the Lea and Perrins fortune and later donated them to the Library of Congress.

These early printed volumes are the predecessors of today's illustrated books. A Heavenly Craft celebrates these origins, making these early publications available to bibliophiles and print lovers.

Edited by: Daniel De Simone

Published by: George Brazillier

Description: 9 by 12 inches, 224 pages, 100 color illustrations

Availability: Ships in 2-3 business days

Product #: 21107133