Brant: In the Underworld II

    Aeneas and the Sibyl, in the top right corner, approach the shores of the Cocytus river. The shades of the recently dead pour out from the jaws of a reptilian monster that signifies the entrance to the underworld. The right side of the monster is engulfed in flames. At the top center above and behind the head are two minute figures whose purpose is unclear, but the message seems sinister; a human figure in white is assaulted by a shadowy figure with a tail. Below the monster, a spring pouring out of a rocky cave is the source of the Acheron, Cocytus and Styx rivers (295-7); the latter two are split by a large delta. At the shores of the Cocytus, the river on the right, the shades wait to pass into the deeper realms of the underworld (305-16). In the lower left, Charon, with his garment knotted at his waist instead of his shoulder, ferries a handful of shades across the Styx (298-301). Palinurus, Aeneas' helmsman who fell to his death from the stern of the ship, approaches Aeneas and begs him to return to the shore where his body has washed up and give him a proper burial (337-83). The Sibyl promises him a proper tomb, but not by the men of Aeneas (377-81).

    Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 265v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

    Comments

    Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

    Subjects
    License
    Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
    Date
    1502
    Culture
    Medium
    Location
    University of Heidelberg

    Brant: In the Underworld I

      Aeneas and the Sibyl enter the underworld (268-94). They stand in front of a grove of trees in the upper left corner; while Vergil compares the entrance to an entrance court with marble columns (268-9), Brant makes the entrance through a forest, which makes the scene a bit darker. The face on the crescent moon may represent Night. In the lower right corner, the Eumenides sit in their "ferrei thalami" (280), a round structure made of iron with three rooms, which has flames and a person spilling out the top. The structure sits in the mouth of an enormous monster, which takes up much of the right half of the image. The monster appears to represents Hell itself, and the Eumenides sit within the jaws of Hell. The monster's giant nostrils, expelling small flames, are located above the structure, and an eye can be seen to the right of the nostrils, at the edge of the image. Discordia, with snakes for hair (280-1), sits in a war tent directly above the monster.

      In the lower left, a set of unlabeled figures represent the afflictions that reside at the threshold of the underworld; they include Famine, Sleep, and Distress (273-9). In the center of the image stands Briareus [Bryareus], the hundred-handed titan (287), shown here with about 10 hands. To his right, three centaurs (286) stand on the tongue of the monster. To the left, above Briareus' largest hand, is the Hydra, the many-headed serpent from Lerna (287). The Chimaera, a lion-like beast, breathes fire (288) toward Aeneas, who draws his sword in an instinct of self defense (290-4). To the right of the Chimaera, three Gorgons (289) share a head, whether from confusion with Geryon or from extreme economy of space. Next to them sit three Harpies, bird creatures with the heads of women (288). To their right, Geryon is shown with three torsos, connecting at the shoulders and hips (288).  In the upper right corner, the background of the image, armed figures represent further shades to come.

      Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 264r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

      Comments

      Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

      Subjects
      License
      Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
      Date
      1502
      Culture
      Medium
      Location
      University of Heidelberg

      Brant: Avernus

        Aeneas performs sacrifices at the entrance to the underworld at Lake Avernus, which is shown as a circular chasm, shaped a bit like a well, with flame-like vapor pouring out of it (237-42). The Sibyl pours wine on the head of one of two oxen, holding the head of a third; these oxen are a sacrifice to Hecate (243-9). Aeneas slits the throat of a sheep as an offering to Night (249-51); in the text, he sacrifices a barren heifer for Proserpine (251), but in the image, the task is given to Achates, who has shed his armor for the occasion. An altar burns with the leg of a bull for Hades (252-4). Aeneas performs these sacrifices in order to be allowed passage into the underworld. (Katy Purington)

        Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 262v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

        Comments

        Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

        Subjects
        License
        Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
        Date
        1502
        Culture
        Medium
        Location
        University of Heidelberg

        Brant: Preparation for the Funeral of Misenus

          The men of Aeneas prepare a funeral for Misenus (156-235), while in the upper right corner, Aeneas and Achates enter the grove to seek the golden bough that Aeneas needs in order to enter the underworld (183-211). Men cut down trees and chop logs to build a funeral pyre for the tomb of their comrade (176-84). Another digs a grave. There are multiple piles of chopped wood, so it is not immediately clear which one is intended as the funeral pyre. It would make sense that the lit fire would be the pyre, but the one next to it is surrounded by foliage, which is mentioned by Vergil in line 215. In the lower left, a cauldron of water is warmed in order to wash and anoint the body (218-9). Corynaeus [Chorineus] stands in the upper left corner, next to the grave, ready to collect the bones from the funeral pyre and place them in an urn (228). The oar and trumpet of Misenus lie on top of the tomb lid, ready to be placed in the tomb with the urn (232-6). (Katy Purington)

          Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 260r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

          Comments

          Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

          Subjects
          License
          Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
          Date
          1502
          Culture
          Medium
          Location
          University of Heidelberg

          Brant: Misenus

            Aeneas, accompanied by Achates, asks the Sibyl for help in reaching the underworld to visit his father (103-23). The Sibyl advises Aeneas of the steps he must take if he wishes to visit the underworld (124-55). She gestures toward a grove, at the right edge of the image, that contains a golden bough sacred to Proserpina, which a worthy man must break off to present to her when he reaches the underworld (136-48). To the left, the body of Misenus is carried in a ship toward the beach by a few of Aeneas's men (156-74). Aeneas must bury Misenus before he may descend to the underworld (149-53). (Katy Purington)

            Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 257v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

            Comments

            Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

            Subjects
            License
            Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
            Date
            1502
            Culture
            Medium
            Location
            University of Heidelberg

            Brant: The Temple of Apollo at Cumae

              While Achates is sent to find the Cumaean Sibyl (34-5), Aeneas and two attendants approach the Temple of Apollo (9-13). In Vergil's description, the temple, built by Daedalus, has intricately decorated doors that tell the myth of the Minotaur (14-34), but since it is very difficult to fit that much detail on a set of doors in an image this size, the illustrators chose to show the scenes as a mural on the walls of the temple, similar to Juno's temple in Carthage (I 441-493). The scenes have been illustrated generally from right to left.

              To the right of the door, in the lower right panel, the Minoan prince Androgeos is killed by an Athenian (20). In the panel to the left of it, several Athenians stand with arms drawn, apparently preparing for a fight, though it would be more accurate to depict them drawing lots, not swords, in order to be sent to Crete as tributes (20-2). In the upper right panel, Pasiphae stands next to a bull and lifts her skirt, a chaste rendering of the scene described by Vergil (24-5). In the upper left, the Minotaur, son of Pasiphae and the bull, who is depicted as much more bull than human, appears to hold a defeated victim in his mouth; an armed warrior, probably Theseus, prepares to fight the beast (25-30).

              These are the only four scenes described by Vergil, who interrupts Aeneas's perusal of the artwork when the Sibyl arrives (34-5), but since he explicitly states that the rest of the myth is depicted (33-4), the illustrators finish the myth in four more panels to the left of the door. In the upper right panel, Theseus arrives home in Athens after slaying the Minotaur; King Aegeus, who thinks Theseus has died, prepares to throw himself off a cliff. In the upper left panel, Daedalus and Icarus are locked in the Labyrinth with little hope of escaping. In the lower right panel, Daedalus and Icarus escape the Labyrinth with bronze wings that Daedalus has created; Icarus appears to be flying upward, a prediction of his mistake in flying too close to the sun. The death of Icarus is not portrayed, because according to Vergil, it was too painful for Daedalus to carve (30-2). Instead, the fourth panel, in the lower left, depicts Daedalus, who has finally arrived safely on land at Cumae, consecrating a shrine to Apollo [Sol], and giving the bronze wings as the first dedication at the shrine (18-9).  (Katy Purington)

              Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 253r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

              Comments

              Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

              Subjects
              License
              Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
              Date
              1502
              Culture
              Medium
              Location
              University of Heidelberg

              Brant: Farewell to Sicily

                Aeneas and the followers who have agreed to continue the journey to Latium with him bid farewell to those who have decided to stay behind in the newly founded city of Acesta (765-71). A ship on the left side of the image, with a gang-plank leading from it to the shore, indicates the imminent departure of the Trojans. On the right, Venus entreats Neptune to ensure the safe travels of Aeneas (779-98); Neptune assures Venus that he will protect Aeneas and his crew. Neptune stands facing Venus, with his back to the front of his chariot (799-815). Behind his chariot, near the shore, two sea creatures, perhaps the artist's attempt at depicting whales, make up his retinue of followers (816-26).  (Katy Purington)

                Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 249v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

                Comments

                Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

                Subjects
                License
                Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
                Date
                1502
                Culture
                Medium
                Location
                University of Heidelberg

                Brant: Founding of Acesta

                  In the upper right corner, Nautes [Nantes] advises Aeneas and Acestes about how to handle the dissent among Aeneas's followers. He advises Aeneas to allow any tired old men and women who are weary of traveling to stay behind in Sicily, and found a city under the protection of Acestes (704-18). In the upper left, sleeping Aeneas receives advice from a vision of his father Anchises. Anchises agrees with Nautes, and then advises Aeneas to stop at Avernus for a journey to the underworld before heading to Latium (721-40). The city of Acesta is shown to the left of the leaders, having been marked out, and apparently built, by Aeneas before he begins his preparations to continue to Latium (755-8). In the center of the image, a few women, some old men and an injured man represent the people who will stay behind in Acesta (750-1). In the lower right, a fully repaired ship represents the Trojan fleet, which Aeneas's remaining men have repaired (752-3). On the left, at the top of Mount Eryx, here no more than a hill, a new temple to Venus has been founded, labeled here as Veneris Erucine (759-60). (Katy Purington)

                  Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 248r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

                  Comments

                  Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

                  Subjects
                  License
                  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
                  Date
                  1502
                  Culture
                  Medium
                  Location
                  University of Heidelberg

                  Brant: Ship Fire

                    In the upper middle of the image, the goddess Iris stands on a rainbow, one of her attributes; she appears to be leaving the scene of a turmoil that Juno inspired her to create among the Trojan women (604-620). These women, in the foreground, have set fire to some ships (654-62); they have built several fires on the shore in order to light their torches. In the midst of the women, Iris, disguised as one of them, but distinguished by a glowing halo, holds two torches. One woman, Pyrgo, attempts to persuade the others that their antagonist is an immortal sent for mischief, but the rest do not listen to her (644-53). The two ships drawn to represent the fleet are broken, and are nearly engulfed in flames. Behind the women, to the left of Iris, Aeneas hurries down a hill to the shore, having been alerted of the trouble by Eumelus (664-6), who is probably the distressed young man to the right of Aeneas. King Achates, unlabeled, accompanies them. Ascanius also races to the camp on his horse, followed by some of his troops from the Trojan games, which have just been finished (667-9; 673-5). (Katy Purington)

                    Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 245r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

                    Comments

                    Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

                    Subjects
                    License
                    Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
                    Date
                    1502
                    Culture
                    Medium
                    Location
                    University of Heidelberg

                    Brant: The Trojan Game

                      Epytides [Epitites] turns the attention of Aeneas and the others toward an exhibition performed by Ascanius and the other youngsters travelling with the Trojans. They march in varying arrangements of troops, lines and columns around the field, showing off their riding skills and also their dexterity with spears and lances. The finale of their show is an intricately maneuvered mock battle, composed of clashing and retreating companies. The leaders of the three troops are Ascanius, Atys, and Polites [Priamus], a descendant of Priam (563-72). (Katy Purington)

                      Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 243v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

                      Comments

                      Sebastian Brant (1458-1521) was a humanist scholar of many competencies. Trained in classics and law at the University of Basel, Brant later lectured in jurisprudence there and practiced law in his native city of Strasbourg. While his satirical poem Das Narrenschiff won him considerable standing as a writer, his role in the transmission of Virgil to the Renaissance was at least as important. In 1502 he and Strasbourg printer Johannes Grüninger produced a major edition of Virgil’s works, along with Donatus’ Life and the commentaries of Servius, Landino, and Calderini, with more than two hundred woodcut illustrations. (Annabel Patterson)

                      Subjects
                      License
                      Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
                      Date
                      1502
                      Culture
                      Medium
                      Location
                      University of Heidelberg
                      article Nav
                      Previous in Series
                      Next in Series