Original incunabulum woodcut leaf XL (40) from the Nuremberg Chronicle of Hartmann Schedel, the first Latin edition from 1493. An incunabulum (cradle print) is a book printed in Europe before 1 January 1501, when the printing press was still in its infancy, and of which the text is set in movable type. They are now rarely seen on the market. The Nuremberg Chronicle (Liber Chronicarum) by Hartmann Schedel is one of the most famous and best illustrated incunabula. The beautiful woodcuts were made by Michael Wohlgemut (1434/37-1519) and his stepson Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (1450-1494), a teacher of Albrecht Dürer. Dürer probably also contributed to the execution of many of the woodcuts for this incunabulum. The beautifully coloured woodcuts of Folio XL on the recto side show: 1. Eurystheus and Aletes: Eurystheus, depicted with crown, orb, and scepter, represents the beginning of the kingdom of the Lacedaemonians. Aletes, son of Hippotes and a descendant of Hercules, is said to have taken possession of Corinth. 2. Lineage of Christ: featuring five portraits of Boaz 3. Genealogy of Ruth: The genealogy begins with Elimelech and his spouse Naomi, then proceeds downward to their two sons, Chilion and Mahlon. Beside Mahlon is his wife Ruth, and to the right of Ruth is her second husband, Boaz. The verso depicts three different beautiful illustrations: 1. Priestly Lineage of priests and bishops. These include: Zerahiah, Meraioth, Amariah and Ahitub. 2. The city of Carthage, situated on a peninsula extending into the Mediterranean Sea. The city is surrounded by a wall, with its main gateway in the foreground. In the background, there is a citadel, or Byrsa, atop a hill, believed to be the original site where the city was built during the time of Dido. This is not a facsimile edition, but an original leaf printed in the 15th century - so 531 years old! Rare in coloured version. Dimensions: 42,5 x 29,5 cm Good condition, two small tears in white margin, one of them with old repair.