1528 Biblia Sacra Folio Leaf - Genesis 1

A genuine 16th-century Bible leaf from the monumental Textus Bibliae cum glossa ordinaria of Nicolas de Lyra — one of the most important biblical commentaries of the late medieval period. Printed in Lyon in 1528 by Jacob Mareschal, this early folio edition follows the Basel printing tradition of Johann Froben (1506–1508) and includes the combined scholarship of Nicholas of Lyra, Paul of Burgos, Mathias Döring, and others.

The page features blackletter Latin type in two columns with the glossa ordinaria (standard medieval commentary) surrounding the central Vulgate text. Decorative woodcut initials and a striking Genesis creation vignette adorn the text, beautifully illustrating the theological richness of early Renaissance printing.

This leaf comes from Genesis, containing the famous opening lines “In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram” — “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Details

• Printer: Jacob Mareschal, Lyon, 1528
• Work: Textus Bibliae cum glossa ordinaria including the “Postilla” and “Moralia” of Nicolas de Lyra, with “Additiones” by Paul of Sainte-Marie and “Replicationes” by Mathias Döring
• Reference: Bibles, Paris 817; Adams B1010
• Condition: Very good for age; mild browning and foxing at upper margins; wide margins and sharp impression.
• Format: Folio leaf, disbound from an incomplete volume.

Historical Context

Nicolas de Lyra (c. 1270–1349) was a Franciscan scholar whose biblical commentaries profoundly influenced later theologians — including Martin Luther, who drew heavily upon Lyra’s notes during the Reformation. Editions like this 1528 Lyon printing represent the final flowering of the medieval Bible tradition, where sacred text and gloss were still presented side-by-side before the typographical reforms of the later 16th century.

A Remarkable Artifact

Each leaf from this edition stands as a window into the transition from manuscript to print, embodying over a millennium of biblical scholarship. With its detailed commentary and Renaissance woodcuts, this page would make a striking and meaningful centerpiece for any collection of early printed Bibles or Reformation-era theology.