3. From the first illustrated book of the Ulm school. The Renowned and
Noble Ladies of Boccaccio. It begins with Adam and Eve. The initial
letter is very characteristic of the Ulm school of ornament. The trail
of the serpent forms the S, and in the knots of the tail are little
figures representing the seven deadly sins.
4. Another page from the same book. "Ceres and the Art of
Agriculture." One of the great drawbacks to wood block printing in
those times was the weakness of the presses. Their only resource was
to print with the paper very wet, and with very soft packing, so that
the block went well into the paper; but many books, and this amongst
others, have suffered much from this cause.