Vienna Model Book (Facsimile)

A facsimile of a unique artistic gem - the Vienna Model Book, housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (Kunstkammer, inv. no. KK 5003/5004). This exceptional collection of 56 silver drawings on green-grey paper, highlighted in white and red, is attributed to an anonymous master of the Bohemian school around 1400.

Each of the sheets is masterfully executed - from realistic portraits to fantastical creatures - and together they form a coherent example of the high international style of the Gothic. This artefact combines spiritual symbolism, courtly aesthetics and natural motifs in one unprecedentedly refined ensemble.

It dates from around 1410-1420, probably in Prague or Austria, in the environment of the so-called Wenceslaus IV school. The work combines artistic influences from Bohemia, France and Italy and probably served as inspiration for travelling painters or as a presentation of the master's skills to a noble patron.

The unique form and content of this facsimile consists of 14 folding maple plates into which 56 masterful drawings are set. The entire set is housed in a protective case of dark, embossed leather with an original belt inspired by that worn by medieval artists. The drawings depict both biblical and secular figures - the Madonna, Christ, the Apostles and Narcissus gazing into the water. Alongside them, 16 zoomorphic and mythological creatures appear, including a life-size spider or a distinctive skull. Exceptionally fine strokes with a silver chisel, sometimes accompanied by a brush, show a technical refinement comparable to the early works of Albrecht Dürer.

Specification:

• Title: Vienna Model Book
• Year of creation: c. 1400-1420
• Place of origin: Prague / Austria
• Storage of original: Kunstkammer, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
• Contents: 56 drawings in silver pencil, supplemented by white and red ink
• Material: 14 folding maple plates (9.5 × 9 cm each)
• Case: Leather, deeply embossed, with closing strap
• Limitation: 800 hand-numbered copies, number 316
• Accompanying volume: Commentary: Dr. Maria Theisen (Austrian Academy of Sciences), Study: Prof. Dr. Eberhard König - on the role of model books in medieval art
• Publisher: Verlag Müller und Schindler