Matěj Václav Štajer (1630-1692)

ST. WENCESLAS’ BIBLE

Prague, 1715 First edition, third volume containing first part of Old Testament from Book Genesis to Book Sirach, book format 2°, [XXXII] – 1263 – Reg. [XXIV] p. Wooden binding covered with leather, blind embossing decoration, slightly affected by insects, two clasps missing. Loose title page and slightly damaged few other pages. „BJBLJ Cžeská to gest Swaté Pjsmo Podlé Starožitného a Obecného Latinského od Wsseobecné Cýrkwe Swaté Ržjmské potwrzeného a vžjwaného Přeľoženj (...) Nákľadem Dědictwj Swatého Wácľawa. W Starém Městě Pražském w Kollegi Sw. Kljmenta Towaryšstwa P. Gežjsse skrze Joachyma Jana Kamenického Faktora Léta M. DCC. XV.“. This is the first publishing of Catholic Baroque translation of Bible acquired by Jesuits on the base of Latin Vulgate. The New Testament was the first part of Bible which was published and provided with extensive interpretations from 1677. Translation of the Old Testament was relieved in 1712 and 1715 in the Prague Old Town by the publishing house called The Inheritance of St. Wenceslas, according to which the book was also named. The Inheritance of St. Wenceslas was founded by Matěj Štajner, who, together with Jiří Konstanc and Jan Barner, participated on a revision of this text. The Bible includes a lot of wood engravings by Francisco Terzia (1523-1591) and Florian Abel († 1565). This bible was used afterwards as a base for other Catholic publication in Bohemia.