Woodcut Decorated Initials
The illustration of the printer's mark on the title page is a woodcut, as are the eight decorated initials scattered through the book. Woodcuts were imbedded in the type form along with the text type, and so were printed at the same time as the text. As can be seen in the enlarged images linked to below, the woodcuts are worn and print unevenly. There does not appear to be any relationship between the text and the decorative image surrounding or behind the initials.
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This letter "C" is decorated with foliage, in part too blurred to make out clearly. The curved shape near the center may be part of a smudged figure. |
Behind this letter "S" is a large bird (a vulture?) straddling a naked prostrate man, who is perhaps dead.. |
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The letter "E" is decorated with an image of a mermaid looking into a mirror, a common symbol of the sin of "superbia" or pride. |
The letter "N" is decorated with a cherub figure, which appears to be sitting on something. |
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The letter "H" is printed upside-down in the text (corrected here; click "View in context" to see it in its inverted position). When put in the correct orientation it can be seen to be decorated with a winged cherub trampling a wild man or demon figure. |
The letter "X" is decorated with a winged female figure with a demonesque face. She is standing on or behind a pedestal. |
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The letter "G" is decorated with a human face surrounded by weapons (an axe at upper left, a sword at upper right, a scimitar running through the center). |
The letter "A" is smaller than the others, and is decorated with vaguely vegetative lines. |
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Illustrations: Image borders
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