Erhard Ratdolt

Erhard Ratdolt (* 1442 in Augsburg, † 1528) was a German printer and publisher. He worked in Venice (1476-1485), then in Augsburg ( 1486-1522 ).

Career

Ratdolt left Augsburg in 1474 and founded in 1476 in Venice a printing company, first together with Bernhart Maler ( Pictor ) from Augsburg and Peter Loslein (or Lösslein ) from Langenzenn. As evidenced by the colophons of their printing different Loslein but before 1478, painter 1478 from the workshop, which was then continued by Ratdolt alone. A sale directory of 1484 lists 46 available titles, including a large-format bible, missals and breviary, works of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, Editions of Terence, Juvenal, Virgil, Martial, Sallust and Ovid, as well as about a dozen legal, astronomical, mathematical and medical works.

Beginning in 1486 returned Ratdolt back to Augsburg; a letter dated April 1, 1486 font sample sheet, with which he recommended his clients to witness the creation of a new printing press in his hometown, which produced mainly magnificent liturgical books in the subsequent period, a total of about 50 to 60 by 1522 are no printed materials from his workshop more known.

One of the most beautiful and important books from Ratdolts workshop include:

  • The Calendar of Regiomontanus ( 1476 in Latin and Italian, 1478 on German ), the first printed book decorated with a title page
  • Libri civilium bellorum of Appian of Alexandria in Latin translation (1477 )
  • The first printed edition of Euclid's Elements ( 1482 ), also the first book printed with mathematical illustrations, whereupon Ratdolt points in his dedication with justifiable pride
  • The Sphaericum opusculum of Johannes de Sacro Bosco, the first time contained more colored woodcuts printed in the second edition of 1485
  • The rituals Augspurgense ( 1487 ).

Importance

Ratdolt is one of the most important and innovative printer of incunabula. He decorated his books as the first with printed trims in wood or metal cut with leaf, Borders and tendrils, which eventually completely, framing the type area, and thus created the typical Renaissance book decoration, from the still left William Morris influence. He used the first exclusively printed initials, the so-called litterae florentes that were made ​​from the leaves and flowers and the hitherto usual hand-painted initials replaced. He was also a pioneer of multi-color printing; besides black and red print he used in the dedication of the edition of Euclid to the Venetian Doge Giovanni Mocenigo first gold as ink, as in his later liturgical books, which also distinguished by their color woodcuts, which were no longer colored by book illuminators, but at where different colors with a plurality of printing plates were printed side by side and one above the other, requiring a high degree of precision in the manufacture.

Ratdolts pressure types are a beautiful Renaissance - Antiqua, similar to that of Aldus Manutius, as well as a striking Rotunda (around gothic font ). He also printed one of the first in Greek characters.

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