Artist: Hans Lufft (1495–1584) was a German printer and publisher, commonly called "the Bible Printer," because in 1534 he printed at Wittenberg the first complete edition of Luther's Bible, in two Folio volumes with woodcut illustrations by Lucas Cranach. Lufft published in the 40 years following more than 100,000 copies of the German Bible.
Engraver: Jost Amman (1539 – 1591) was a Swiss-German artist celebrated chiefly for his woodcuts, done mainly for book illustrations.
Engraver: Virgil Solis or Virgilius Solis (1514 – 1562), a member of a prolific family of artists, was a German draughtsman and printmaker in engraving, etching, and woodcut.
Title: Dream of the Four Beasts (Old Testament, Book of Prophet Daniel, Chapter 7). Also known as "Daniel's Dream Map" or "Wittenberg World Map" by Hans Lufft.
Signed with monograms in plate: "A" stands for Jost Amman, and "VS" stands for Virgil Solis.
Dimensions: Sheet 5" x 6 1/2". Mat 18" x 14".
Date: Late XVI C.
Materials and Techniques: woodcut on laid paper, letterpress verso.
Mat and Frame: Mat.
Provenance: The Estate of George "Yorgo" Demetrakopoulos; professor, assistant director of the Medieval Institute, and assistant to the dean at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1965-2000.
Condition: one small hole on the margin, the stain in the middle. Cut off from the page. The signs of aging are appropriate for the time. A detailed condition report is available on demand.
Art Movements, Periods & Schools: German School XVI C.