A DUTCH ILLUSTRATED INCUNABULUM THAT WILL NEVER APPEAR ON THE MARKET AGAIN BRUGMANNUS, Johannes (or Johannem Brugman). Vita S. Liedewye. (or Liedwinae) Schiedam : [Printer of the 'Vita Lydwinae' (Otgier Nachtegael?)], 1498. Small quarto. 20.5 x 14 cm. Contemporary binding, spine re-laid. 124 leaves. First 12 leaves and H6 in expert facsimile on incunable paper. 18 contemporary hand-coloured woodcuts. Goff B1220; HC 4002; ib01220000 The narrative of this incunabulum is fascinating (where else can we find a priest who recommends suicide to his parishioner), its woodcuts are unique (not the typical fanfare of saints), and the book itself is incredibly rare, printed in one edition only. THE STORY Liedewy, the Virgin of Schiedam (1380-1433), has been admired and venerated over the centuries as a national saint of the Netherlands (and the patron saint of ice-skaters). The events surrounding Liedewy and her life aroused great interest, especially among the circles of the Modern Devotion. Within a few decades after her death, four biographies had already been written, three in Latin and one in Middle Dutch. In 1456, Johannes Brugman wrote the Vita alme virginis Lijdwine and turned the story into a hagiography, adding elements that fit the biography of a saint. For example, he is the only author, who mentions Liedewy's stigmatization. Liedewy came into this world in 1380, christened with a name that foretold her fate: "Lijd-wijt" or "suffering widely," an omen of the boundless suffering she would endure. On the feast day of Candlemas, while skating with her friends, she broke a rib (as depicted in the incunable). This fall defined the rest of her life. Her recovery did not progress, and after years of ongoing struggle, she could no longer get up from her sick bed. In the last 33 years of her life – a time span which points to the life of Jesus – she was unable to touch the ground. She ate and drank very little: a slice of apple or a small piece of bread, with a little beer or sweet milk. Gradually, she only drank water. During the second half of her illness, from 414 until her death in 1433, she ate absolutely nothing, only receiving Holy Communion brought to her by the parish priest. Liedewy’s sickness went hand in hand with bodily deterioration, yet she asked God to allow her to suffer even more, in order to ease the suffering of others. THE WOODCUTS The description of the woodcuts gives us a taste of the unique text. 1. A woodcarver sells an image of Mary. However, when the statue is loaded onto a ship, the crew cannot get it to move. Eventually, they realize that the presence of the statue is preventing the ship from leaving, and the woodcarver sells it to the church in Schiedam. Liedewy venerates it, and although she has many suitors, she only desires to become a nun. If she was forced to marry, she would disfigure herself so much that no man would desire er anymore. 2. When Liedewy is almost fifteen years old, she goes ice skating and falls on the ice, breaking a rib. Shortly afterwards, a large lump developed that could not be healed. 3. The physician, Master Govaart Sonderdanc, wants to see if he can help her. He removes her intestines from her body. After examining her insides, he announces that the worms are growing from the rotten marrow of her spine. We also see the urine sample he has just poured out of the cup. 4. As her family is poor, Duke William gives her money. 5. When there is a fire in her home, Liedewy extinguishes it. 6 An angel brings a cypress branch from paradise. 7. Liedewy gives to the poor from her ‘Jesus’ purse, and no matter what, there are always coins in her purse left. 8. A man wants to hang himself, and the chaplain cannot dissuade him from doing so. Liedewy advises that the man should hang himself as penance because Satan would never allow the man to complete the penance. When the man asks again for permission to take his own life, the priest grants it to him. Once home, he climbs onto a chair, ties a rope around his neck, and at that moment, the devil pulls the man out of the noose, shouting: "This is not the right moment to hang yourself!" 9. A priest gives her as a test an unconsecrated host. Liedewy immediately notices that she cannot swallow the host and spits it out. At first, the priest scolds her, but when Liedewy replies that she could not do otherwise, he is ashamed. 10. Liedewy receives the stigmata 11. When pastor Andries hears that above her bed a crucified Christ child appeared, which later transformed into a host with five wounds, he wants to investigate. According to him, it is all the work of the devil. 12. Her guardian angel shows Liedewy souls in purgatory, who come up out of the flames, wailing and lamenting. 13. Angelic visions. She visits places that are important in the life of Christ. During one of these journeys, she injures her right foot, and upon her return, she experiences pain in it for several days. Brugman sees this as proof that the out-of-body experience truly took place. In the woodcut, Liedewy lies in bed with her feet outside the covers. A large splinter protrudes from the sole of her right foot. 14. Not long before Christmas, a widow visited Liedewy and told her that God had revealed to her that Liedewy's virgin breasts would be filled with milk in the upcoming Christmas night, 15. Soldiers abuse her but of course there is payback, and they all die - each in their separate gruesome way. 16. Liedewy is consoled by an angel who tells her that her ordeal is soon over. 17. Christ administers the last rites. 18. Deathbed scene. 19. Mary is in her coffin. Although Liedewy predicts she will die in great pain, and no miracles will occur, her body is miraculously beautiful to behold. 20. Her funeral is attended by thousands. ART HISTORY The woodcuts are simple representations of daily life in the Middle Ages and have been identified as been made by the Dutch artist Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (before 1470 – 1533), a Northern Netherlandish designer of woodcuts and painter. He was one of the first important artists working in Amsterdam. Art historians trace the influence of Rogier van der Weyden's (ca. 1400-1464) in his work. The Descent from the Cross, a painting dating from around 1435-40, resembles the group of three women on the woodcut where we see Liedewij falling on the ice. Later artists in their turn, were influenced by Oostsanen like the engraver Hieronymus Wierix (1553-1619). See: M.J. Schretlen, Dutch and Flemish woodcuts of the fifteenth century Londen 1925. (Reprinted New York 1969). PUBLISHING HISTORY Liedewij was a real person and shortly after her death, several manuscripts circulated, there are three manuscripts known. There is a 1487 Dutch work by Jan Gerlach Leven van Liedwij, die maghet van Schiedam ig00182500, but the text does not have woodcuts (only a woodcut on the title-page). Besides it is a different text. Ours is the first and only incunabula edition by Brugman. The woodcuts were especially made for this book. 19 copies exist, although ISTC lists the copy in Utrecht as complete, that is not the case (3 woodcuts) missing. The library of congress and the metropolitan library do not list a copy in their library although they should be there according to ISTC. The reason we could not find them might be due to variant spellings. Our copy has a strictly contemporary binding, while superb facsimiles on precious incunabula paper supply the missing leaves.