The greatest German book of the Renaissance, Theuerdank was commissioned by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I as a fictionalised, autobiographical story of the adventures of the knight Theuerdank (based on Maximilian I himself) on his journey to wed his betrothed, Lady Ehrenreich (Maximilian’s first wife Mary of Burgundy). Presented as an epic poem glorifying the emperor’s heroic valour and chivalric honour, the text was composed with the help of members of Maximilian’s court.

The book’s 118 woodblocks, widely considered to be among the greatest achievements in the history of book art, were designed by the best-known artists of the day, including Hans Burgkmair, Hans Leonhard Schäufelein, and Leonhard Beck. The Fraktur typeface used in the Theuerdank was highly influential in the development of German-language typography well into the 20th century.

This catalogue explores the five first-edition copies of the Theuerdank in the Bibermühle collections, including an illuminated, uncorrected copy, printed on vellum; as well as later editions and other works commissioned by or made for the Emperor, including a first edition copy of the Weißkunig and an extremely rare coloured copy of Freydal. Later chapters examine other related objects in the collection: drawings made by Albrecht Dürer for Maximilian’s prayer book, as well as hunting, fishing, and reading manuals commissioned by the Emperor.