Extremely rare first edition in English of Holbein´s influential suite of woodcuts represented the history of the Bible, printed in Lyon for the use of English speakers and for the English market. The Images is an important 16th century history of the Bible, comprising 93 woodcuts by Hans Holbein engraved by Hans Lutzelburger, the four Evangelists on the verso of N3, and Frellon´s printer´s mark to title page. The woodcuts are printed one to a page with English text above and French text below.
This first English translation was prepared after the Latin edition of 1539, whilst the French text is by Gilles Corrozet, a revision of the second edition of 1547.
“With the Holbein volumes, Bible illustration at Lyons changed significantly... The Holbein blocks were widely imitated...” (Mortimer, p. 341).
“Rapidly going into sucessive editions, the Icones changed the nature of Bible illustration at Lyons, leading to the publishing ventures of Jean de Tournes with the cuts of Bernard Salomon and Guillaume Rouille and becoming widely imitated throughout France, Germany and the Netherlands. For Holbein showed supreme skill at placing grand spiritual narrative within a compact domestic setting, thereby challenging the popularity of classical themes. The preface by François Frellon on the title verso urges the reader to reject the images of goddesses such as Venus and Diana in favour of the "sacrosanctas Icones” (Mortimer).
This series was engraved by Hans Lützelburger, Passavant proclaims “The Prince of all the wood-engravers” (E. Picot. Catalogue James de Rotschild, n°15).
Provenance: Richard Bright, M.D. (ex-libris manuscrit au verso au premier feuillet de garde); Sotheby's, Londres, 29 novembre, 1982.
Brunet, III, 253; Mortimer, Harvard French 283; STC 3045.