Infamous anti-Semitic woodcut, and early comet depiction

[untitled woodcuts]
Hartmann Schedel, 1493. Moderately toned. Two mended tears, one into woodcut, the other affecting the verso text. One wormhole, plugged (see comet image).

$900.

This notorious woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle shows Jews murdering the child Simon of Trent.

Wikipedia explains that ...Simon of Trent, also known as Simeon; born late 15th century, died c. March 21, 1475) was a boy from the city of Trento, Italy whose disappearance was blamed on the leaders of the city's Jewish community based on their confessions under torture, causing a major blood libel in Europe with ramifications that lasted almost five centuries.

The boy was said to have been murdered so as to use his blood in religious rituals. See Wikipedia for further background on the history and the cult that sprung up around Simon, which lasted nearly five centuries, until it was disbanded by the Pope in 1965.

This image has often been erroneously identified as a circumcision.

On verso is a woodblock illustration of a comet that appeared in the skies of January, 1472.

[click comet to enlarge]