A leaf describing some of Italian figures from Hartmann Schedel’s ‘Nuremberg Chronicle’ published in Nuremberg in 1493. The first illustrated is the powerful Cosimo de Midici. He is followed by Nicholas Euboicus, bishop of Saguritum, Antonius Cermisanus, a singular prince of medicine and Bartolomeo Montagnano, distinguished natural philosopher and physician. The verso bears an image of two lovers who lived in Italy: a knight named Eurialus, who was the personal attendant of Emperor Sigismund, and Lucretia, of the city of Siena.

The book was published at the height of the Renaissance. Schedel was a physician and editor of the text which is a year-by-year account of notable events in world history from the creation down to the year of publication, with special emphasis on ominous and portentous events including the invention of printing. This woodcut along with the nearly 1800 others are the work of Michael Wohlgemut (1434–1519) and his stepson Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (1460–1494). Wohlgemut is best known to have been the early tutor to Albrecht Durer who was in his workshop at the time of this works production and is generally believed to have contributed to it. The work was printed by Anton Koberger. At the time it was the most profusely illustrated book ever published. This example is from the first edition printed in July 1493 with Latin text, a later issue with German text was published in December of the same year.