Tobias Stimmer & Christoph Murer

Nothing can Live without Water

Tobias Stimmer's & Christoph Murer's original Renaissance era woodcut, "Nothing can Live without Water" was created for the 1580 edition of the "Teutsche Speisskammer" (‘The German Larder, or Pantry’). Nineteen woodcuts were commissioned for this publication and all are now listed as scarce. As the "Speisskamer" dealt with food preparation and cooking methods most of these works of art stand as valuable representations of sixteenth century trades and merchants such as butchers, bakers, fishmongers and farmers.

Four of the nineteen woodcuts, however, were created as fanciful portrayals of the four elements; air, fire, earth and water. Thus, in this original woodcut, water abounds in a river, the sea and a fountain.

In "Nothing can Live without Water" the monogram ‘MB’, accompanied by a wood cutting tool, appears in the lower left corner. This is the mark of the artisan who cut the design into the actual block. It is recorded that this anonymous artisan worked for such artists as Tobias Stimmer and Jost Amman during the latter half of the sixteenth century.

The German botanist, Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) was most famous for his "Kreuterbuch" (Book of Herbs). Another of his valuable works, however, is the "Teutsche Speisskamer" which was first published in an edition without illustrations in 1550. In 1580 the Speisskamer and Kreuterbuch were published together in the same volume in Strasbourg. For this edition the publisher commissioned the two Swiss artists, Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer to design and engrave the woodcuts to illustrate the text of the "Teutsche Speisskamer". This original woodcut hails from this source.

Nothing can Live without Water

View other original 16th century woodcuts by Tobias Stimmer & Christoph Murer.

Tobias Stimme (Schaffhausen, Switzerland, 1539 - Strasbourg, France, 1584) & Christoph Murer (Zurich, 1558 - Winterthur, Switzerland, 1614)
#	Image	Title & Artists	Medium	Date	Publisher	Source	-
01-		A Hunter Returning to Town by Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer	Original Woodcut	1580	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg	Teutsche Speisskammer	Sold
02.-		About Eggs, and which Bird's Eggs to Choose by Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer	Original Woodcut	1580	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg	Teutsche Speisskammer
03.-		Fish Merchant by Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer	Original Woodcut	1580	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg	Teutsche Speisskammer
04.-		Milking and Butter Churning by Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer	Original Woodcut	1580	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg	Teutsche Speisskammer	Sold
05.-		Nothing can Live without Water by Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer	Original Woodcut	1580	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg	Teutsche Speisskammer
06.-		Spices and Herbs by Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer	Original Woodcut	1580	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg	Teutsche Speisskammer
07.-		Wine and Vinegar Production by Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer	Original Woodcut	1580	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg	Teutsche Speisskammer

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Title:	Nothing can Live without Water
Artist:	Stimmer, Tobias (Schaffhausen, Switzerland, 1539 - Strasbourg, France, 1584)
Artist:	Murer, Christoph (Zurich, 1558 - Winterthur, Switzerland, 1614)
Date:	1580
Medium:	Original Woodcut
Publisher:	Josias Rihel, Strasbourg
Note:	Tobias Stimmer: An influential sixteenth century Swiss painter and woodcut artist, Tobias Stimmer was the son of a schoolmaster and artist. As early as 1565 he opened his own workshop in Schaffhausen where he painted portraits, designed banners and escutcheons and painted frescoes for fine houses. Tobias Stimmer moved to Strasbourg in 1570. There he continued his work as a portrait painter and illustrated a number of books with his fine woodcuts. Stimmer also designed the decorations for Strasbourg Cathedral’s astronomical clock during this period.
	As with many artists of the Renaissance, Tobias Stimmer’s fame spread primarily through his original prints. Many years later a leading collector of Stimmer’s woodcuts was none other than Peter Paul Rubens.
	Christoph Murer 'Christoph Maurer': A Swiss painter, woodcut designer, etcher, illustrator and playwright, Christoph Murer (sometimes spelt, Christoph Maurer) studied art under his father, Jos Murer, a glass painter. He established his reputation in Zurich by painting on glass a series of historic scenes commemorating the Swiss Confederation. In 1579, Christoph Murer designed a series of panes for Leonhard Thurneysser, in Basel.
	Christoph Murer travelled to Strasbourg around 1574. He lived there for much of the following twelve years, often working in collaboration with his fellow Swiss artist, Tobias Stimmer. Such is the case with this original woodcut, "Nothing can Live without Water".
	Christoph Murer returned to his native Zurich in 1586. At this point he continued his work as a glass painter and became a member of the Saffron Guild.

	In "Nothing can Live without Water" the monogram ‘MB’, accompanied by a wood cutting tool, appears in the lower left corner. This is the mark of the artisan who cut the design into the actual block. It is recorded that this anonymous artisan worked for such artists as Tobias Stimmer and Jost Amman during the latter half of the sixteenth century. Nineteen woodcuts were commissioned for the "Teutsche Speisskammer" (‘The German Larder, or Pantry’) and all are now listed as scarce. As the "Speisskamer" dealt with food preparation and cooking methods most of these works of art stand as valuable representations of sixteenth century trades and merchants such as butchers, bakers, fishmongers and farmers. Four of the nineteen woodcuts, however, were created as fanciful portrayals of the four elements; air, fire, earth and water. Thus, in this original woodcut, water abounds in a river, the sea and a fountain.
Source:	Teutsche Speisskammer
Size:	3 X 4 5/8 Image size (10 X 6 page size) (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Buy Now	Price: $695.00 US
Condition:	Printed upon hand-made, laid paper as published in Strasbourg in 1580 for "Teutsche Speisskamer". Text on recto and verso, as always. A fine, early impression and in very good condition throughout. "Nothing can Live without Water" represents a prime, original example of the work of Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer and of the art of the sixteenth century woodcut.
Subject:	Tobias Stimmer and Christoph Murer, "Nothing can Live without Water", monogram ‘MB’, accompanied by a wood cutting tooloriginal sixteenth century woodcut, "Teutsche Speisskammer", portrayals of the four elements; air, fire, earth and water, Strasbourg Cathedral’s astronomical clock, Swiss Renaissance artists.
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