Franciscus de Puteo, Cathena aurea super psalmos (Golden Chain of the Psalms)

Franciscus de Puteo, Cathena aurea super psalmos (Golden Chain of the Psalms)

French (Paris), 1534

Language: Latin

height 34 cm

Consists of the Vulgate translation of the Psalms, interspersed with the Latin commentary of various authors, compiled by Franciscus de Puteo. Printed by Jean Petit (French printer, active 1492-1530).

Mount Angel Abbey Library, VAULT BS1429.P88 1534

Diebold, William. The Illustrated Book in the Age of Printing: Books and Manuscripts from Oregon Collections. Portland, OR: Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, 1993, pp. 22-23 - Quoted with permission

The cutting of wood blocks for illustrations added to the cost of a book for the publisher, but after the initial expense of making the blocks, illustrations were no more costly to print than text. Thus, the reuse of the wood blocks, as in number 33 to the right [refers to exhibition from which this text was originally a catalog entry], would have resulted in pure profit. Since illustrations increased the appeal of books to prospective buyers, printers were eager to include them, even if they were not entirely appropriate. This probably explains the presence of this large illustration of the six days of creation in this commentary on the Psalms, a text which has little to do with the creation account from Genesis. By making the book more luxurious through the use of woodcuts, the publisher hoped to make it more desirable to buyers as well.