Adam Petri
Encyclopedia
Adam Petri in Franconia
– November 15, 1527 in Basel
) was a printer
, publisher and bookseller.
. Like his uncle Johannes Petri, he moved to Basel where he resided from around 1480 and worked as a printer. In 1507 he received Basel citizenship rights. The following year he married Anna Selber, a member of a Basel burgher family. His firm began to grow in prominence after he took over the printshop of his uncle Johannes in 1509. Petri was one of the first printers in Basel who worked with illustrators. His books were illustrated by the likes of Urs Graf
, Hans Holbein the Younger
, and Conrad Schnitt among others. He also employed a number of prominent collaborators as writers, editors and proofreaders including Konrad Pellikan, the young Sebastian Münster
, Beatus Rhenanus
, Ulrich Hugwald and his relative Johannes Petreius
.
Adam Petri chiefly printed devotional literature
and works of practical theology
. After 1517 his printshop was primarily occupied with the publication of texts of the Protestant Reformation
. Of the more than 300 publications from the Offizin Adae Petri, there are more than 88 editions of Martin Luther
. He also published works of other German reformers like Johannes Bugenhagen
, Hartmuth by Cronberg, Philipp Melanchthon
, Andreas Karlstadt
and a few titles by the Swiss Reformers Huldrych Zwingli
, Joachim Vadian
and Johannes Oecolampadius
.
His edition of Jan Hus
, which appeared under the title Liber egregius de unitate ecclesiae, cuius autor periit in concilio Constantiensi in 1520, attracted a great deal of attention. Petri was also able to produce a reprint of Luther’s translation of the Bible
with amazing speed. Only a quarter of a year after the edition of the “September Testament”, Petri's edition appeared in December of 1522 under the title Das new Testament yetzund recht grüntlich teutscht. Between 1523 and 1524 Petri printed Luther’s translation of the Old Testament under the title Der ursprunglichen Hebreischen warheit nach auffs trewlichst verdeutscht.
Adam Petri died on November 15, 1527. His widow Anna remarried the cartographer, cosmographer, and a Hebrew
scholar Sebastian Münster
in 1530. His son Heinrich Petri successfully continued the family’s printing house.
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
– November 15, 1527 in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
) was a printer
Printer
Printer may refer to:* Printer , a person or a company* Printer , a hardware device* Optical printer for motion picture films* The Moscow subway station Pechatniki, whose name means "Printers"...
, publisher and bookseller.
Life
Adam Petri was born ca. 1454 in Langendorf near HammelburgHammelburg
Hammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
. Like his uncle Johannes Petri, he moved to Basel where he resided from around 1480 and worked as a printer. In 1507 he received Basel citizenship rights. The following year he married Anna Selber, a member of a Basel burgher family. His firm began to grow in prominence after he took over the printshop of his uncle Johannes in 1509. Petri was one of the first printers in Basel who worked with illustrators. His books were illustrated by the likes of Urs Graf
Urs Graf
Urs Graf was a Swiss Renaissance painter and printmaker , as well as a mercenary soldier. He only produced two etchings, one of which dates from 1513 – the earliest known etching for which a date has been established...
, Hans Holbein the Younger
Hans Holbein the Younger
Hans Holbein the Younger was a German artist and printmaker who worked in a Northern Renaissance style. He is best known as one of the greatest portraitists of the 16th century. He also produced religious art, satire and Reformation propaganda, and made a significant contribution to the history...
, and Conrad Schnitt among others. He also employed a number of prominent collaborators as writers, editors and proofreaders including Konrad Pellikan, the young Sebastian Münster
Sebastian Münster
Sebastian Münster , was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and a Hebrew scholar.- Life :Münster was born at Ingelheim near Mainz, the son of Andreas Munster. He completed his studies at the Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen in 1518. His graduate adviser was Johannes Stöffler.He was appointed to...
, Beatus Rhenanus
Beatus Rhenanus
Beatus Rhenanus , also known as Beatus Bild, was an Alsatian humanist, religious reformer, and classical scholar....
, Ulrich Hugwald and his relative Johannes Petreius
Johannes Petreius
Johann Petreius was a German printer in Nuremberg.-Life:...
.
Adam Petri chiefly printed devotional literature
Devotional literature
Devotional literature is religious writing that is neither doctrinal nor theological, but designed for individuals to read for their personal edification and spiritual formation....
and works of practical theology
Practical theology
Practical theology is the practical application of theology to everyday life. Richard Osmer explains that the four key questions and tasks in practical theology are:# What is going on? # Why is this going on?...
. After 1517 his printshop was primarily occupied with the publication of texts of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. Of the more than 300 publications from the Offizin Adae Petri, there are more than 88 editions of Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
. He also published works of other German reformers like Johannes Bugenhagen
Johannes Bugenhagen
Johannes Bugenhagen , also called Doctor Pomeranus by Martin Luther, introduced the Protestant Reformation in the Duchy of Pomerania and Denmark in the 16th century. Among his major accomplishments was organization of Lutheran churches in Northern Germany and Scandinavia...
, Hartmuth by Cronberg, Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
, Andreas Karlstadt
Andreas Karlstadt
Andreas Rudolph Bodenstein von Karlstadt , better known as Andreas Karlstadt or Andreas Carlstadt or Karolostadt, was a German Christian theologian during the Protestant Reformation. He was born in Karlstadt, Franconia.-Education:Karlstadt received his doctorate of theology in 1510 from the...
and a few titles by the Swiss Reformers Huldrych Zwingli
Huldrych Zwingli
Ulrich Zwingli was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system, he attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly centre of humanism...
, Joachim Vadian
Joachim Vadian
Joachim Vadian , born as Joachim von Watt, was a Swiss Humanist and scholar and also mayor and reformer in St. Gallen.-Biography:...
and Johannes Oecolampadius
Johannes Oecolampadius
Johannes Œcolampadius was a German religious reformer. His real name was Hussgen or Heussgen .-Life:He was born in Weinsberg, then part of the Electoral Palatinate...
.
His edition of Jan Hus
Jan Hus
Jan Hus , often referred to in English as John Hus or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague...
, which appeared under the title Liber egregius de unitate ecclesiae, cuius autor periit in concilio Constantiensi in 1520, attracted a great deal of attention. Petri was also able to produce a reprint of Luther’s translation of the Bible
Luther Bible
The Luther Bible is a German Bible translation by Martin Luther, first printed with both testaments in 1534. This translation became a force in shaping the Modern High German language. The project absorbed Luther's later years. The new translation was very widely disseminated thanks to the printing...
with amazing speed. Only a quarter of a year after the edition of the “September Testament”, Petri's edition appeared in December of 1522 under the title Das new Testament yetzund recht grüntlich teutscht. Between 1523 and 1524 Petri printed Luther’s translation of the Old Testament under the title Der ursprunglichen Hebreischen warheit nach auffs trewlichst verdeutscht.
Adam Petri died on November 15, 1527. His widow Anna remarried the cartographer, cosmographer, and a Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
scholar Sebastian Münster
Sebastian Münster
Sebastian Münster , was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and a Hebrew scholar.- Life :Münster was born at Ingelheim near Mainz, the son of Andreas Munster. He completed his studies at the Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen in 1518. His graduate adviser was Johannes Stöffler.He was appointed to...
in 1530. His son Heinrich Petri successfully continued the family’s printing house.
Further reading
- Corsten, Severin, ed. Lexikon des gesamten Buchwesens. vol. 5. Stuttgart 1987, p. 612.
- Hieronymus, Frank. 1488 Petri – Schwabe 1988: Eine traditionsreiche Basler Offizin im Spiegel ihrer frühen Drucke. Basel: Schwabe, 1997.
- Reske, Christoph, and Josef Benzing. Die Buchdrucker des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts im deutschen Sprachgebiet: auf der Grundlage des gleichnamigen Werkes von Josef Benzing. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2007, pp. 65–66.