Book/Printed Material Psalter of David in German. Psalterium Davidis, Deutsch

Title

• Psalter of David in German.

Other Title

• Psalterium Davidis, Deutsch

Summary

• Manuscript psalters are, in many cases, preceded by a calendar section. The small-scale manuscript of a psalter in German presented here contains on leaves 1 recto-6 verso an Augsburg calendar (including the entries dedicated to the feasts of Saints Ulrich and Afra and the consecration of the Augsburg Cathedral on September 28). The Psalter is on leaves 8 recto-267 recto, followed by, on leaves 267 verso-271 verso, a list in Latin of the opening phrases of the psalms. On leaf 267 recto the colophon gives the date 1484. The translations of the psalms correspond to those in the Psalter of the Mentelin Bible (Strasbourg, before June 27, 1466) and to reprints of a much older Latin original that probably was produced in Nuremberg and has not survived. As direct sources or, rather, models for this manuscript, four Augsburg Bible prints can be identified. The Psalter is richly illuminated with eight ornamental body color initials that emphasize the liturgical division into eight sections: leaves 11 verso (Psalm 1), 51 recto (to Psalm 26), 76 recto (to Psalm 38), 99 verso (to Psalm 52), 124 recto (to Psalm 68), 150 verso (to Psalm 80), 179 recto (to Psalm 97), and 208 recto (to Psalm 109). In addition, on leaf 234 verso is the first of the so-called gradual psalms, Psalm 119, which is supposed to be prayed daily and has been illustrated with a smaller body color initial. The only figurative initial that shows King David, then regarded as the author of the psalms, is the D-initial to the first preface of the Psalter on leaf 8 recto: "Da David der sun yesse was..." (Since David was the son of Jesse...). He wears a crown and sits on his throne playing the harp. Both the calendar and the translation of the psalms, taken from various Augsburg Bible printings, make it quite likely that the manuscript originated in Augsburg. It is noticeable that the illuminator did not just copy the woodcut illustrations contained in these four Bibles at the beginning of each psalter, although they could have been used as a model for the enthroned King David. The Psalter's miniatures and tendrils in body color were produced in the efficient and export-oriented workshop of Johann Bämler (circa 1430-1503), a citizen of Augsburg, which had its own printing press from 1472 onwards. In 1563 the manuscript was, according to a record on the flyleaf, owned by "Caspar Ottman," at that time secretary to the princes of Oettingen (Bavaria). Two ex libris of the court library of 1618 and 1630 bear witness to an early presence of the codex in Munich.

Names

• Bämler, Johann, approximately 1430-1503 Illuminator.

Created / Published

• [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1484.

Headings

• -  Germany--Bavaria--Augsburg
• -  1484
• -  Bible. Old Testament
• -  Illuminations
• -  Miniatures (Illuminations)
• -  Psalms
• -  Psalters

Notes

• -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
• -  "This description of the work was written by Karl-Georg Pfändtner.|BSB shelfmark: Cgm 82"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
• -  Original resource extent: 271 + 3 folios, parchment : illuminated ; 16.5 x 12 centimeters.
• -  Original resource at: Bavarian State Library.
• -  Content in German.
• -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

• 1 online resource.

Digital Id

• https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.wdl/wdl.19508

Library of Congress Control Number

• 2021668210

Online Format

• compressed data
• pdf
• image

LCCN Permalink

• https://lccn.loc.gov/2021668210

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• MODS Record
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