Brant, Sebastian (1458-1521)
Stultifera Navis.

[Nuremberg: Georg Stuchs, after 1 March 1497]. Reprinted in Nuremberg from the edition of Basel: Johann Bergmann de Olpe, 1 March 1497.

Octavo, A8, b-s8, t1 (lacking final three leaves: t2, t3, & t4 containing the register); text printed in gothic type, translated from German to Latin by Jacob Locher (1471-1528), illustrated with 117 text woodcuts, small holes to title repaired; bound in alum-tawed and blind-decorated sheep or goatskin over wooden boards with central brass clasp, 5 1/2 x 3 3/4 in.

Brant's popular satirical allegory contains 112 short pieces meant to mock the church, the ruling classes, scholars, everyone had the potential to a act the fool. For Brant, no one was safe. As a book, the fully-illustrated approach brings it near to the status of a graphic novel. Representations of so many dozens of scenes of the everyday life of ordinary people in Europe circa 1497 sets it apart from many other illustrated books of the incunabula period, as woodcuts in this period most often depict Biblical subjects, royalty, historical figures, and characters found in the ancient classics. The Ship of Fools is a solid landmark in vernacular literature, and provided a necessary stop on the way to the development of the novel and other forms of early modern secular literature.

Goff B1087; H 3747*; Schramm XVIII p. 21; Schr 3568; IGI 2045; IBP 1235; Sajó-Soltész 802; SI 910; Madsen 860; Martín Abad B-222; Ohly-Sack 702; Voull(B) 608 = 1909,10; Günt(L) 281; Schlechter-Ries 410; Walsh 816; Bod-inc B-507; Sheppard 1651; Pr 7775; BMC II 471; GW 5055; ISTC ib01087000.

Ex libris Georger Parker Winship (1871-1952)