Exhibition: Black Art – The incunabula at LMU’s University Library

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The invention of letterpress printing transformed Europe’s media environment. In deference to the typical black hue of printing ink, the new craft quickly became known as the “black art”. Among its first products are what have become known as incunabula or ‘cradle books’.

Both terms denote printed writings produced between the invention of letterpress printing and the end of the year 1500. An estimated 550,000 copies of a total of around 27,500 different cradle books are still in existence. Compared to other university libraries in Germany, LMU’s stock of 3,600 incunabula occupies a leading position.

This latest exhibition at the University Library offers a fascinating insight into the world of incunabula, typical cradle books and how they evolved – from the very earliest printed materials to the post-incunabula era.

For more information, please visit the University Library website.