1548 Folio Leaf with 3 Woodcuts From The Stumpf Chronicle - The Destruction and Rebuilding of Milan (1162)

Stumpf Chronicle: Zurich, 1548.

Large folio leaf with 3 woodcuts from the exceedingly scarce first edition of The Stumpf Chronicle printed by Johannes Stumpf in Zurich in 1548. This was one of the greatest illustrated works of the early to mid 16th century.

Woodcuts by Heinrich Vogtherr "The Elder" (1490-1556), an artist, printer, poet and medical author of the Reformation period. Small portrait by Hans Asper. Later hand color.

The 11th century saw a reaction against the control of the Holy Roman Emperors. City-states emerged in northern Italy, an expression of the new political power of the cities and their will to fight against all feudal powers. Milan was no exception. It did not take long, however, for the Italian city-states to begin fighting each other to try to limit neighbouring powers. The Milanese destroyed Lodi and continuously warred with Pavia, Cremona and Como, who in turn asked Frederick I Barbarossa for help. In a sally they captured Empress Beatrice and forced her to ride a donkey backwards through the city until getting out. These brought the destruction of much of Milan in 1162. A fire destroyed the storehouses containing the entire food supply, and within just a few days Milan was forced to surrender.

Condition: As shown, on paper in good condition with minor age toning and spotting to outer margins. 37.3 x 23.2 cm.