The Rod of Moses Turning into a Serpent

Georg Lemberger, artist

circa 1495–circa 1540

Johannes Bugenhagen, author

1485–1558

The Rod of Moses Turning into a Serpent, circa 1536

Portfolio/Series title: Niederdeutsche Bibel (Lower German Bible)

Where object was made: Magdeburg, Holy Roman Empire (present-day Germany)

Material/technique: laid paper; hand coloring; woodcut; gold heightening

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 121 x 139 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 340 x 225 mm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 4 3/4 x 5 1/2 in
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 13 3/8 x 8 7/8 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 19 x 14 in

Credit line: Museum purchase: Letha Churchill Walker Memorial Art Fund

Accession number: 1997.0355.01

Not on display

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The 16th-century “Niederdeutsche Bibel” highlights the importance of education, a central tenet of Martin Luther’s Reformation. Luther believed that education could help laymen see the corruption in the Catholic Church. After Luther translated the Latin Bible into High German in 1534, his colleagues transcribed the text into Lower German, the dialect spoken in the southern regions of present-day Germany. As a result, the Bibel’s text reached a broader audience and assisted in the spread of Lutheran beliefs. Furthermore, the ability to print multiple copies of the Bibel allowed dissemination to a wide readership. Measuring just over a foot high, the complete version of the Bibel was easily held and transported, fostering the exchange of ideas. Such an atmosphere encouraged laymen to contemplate the word of God and question the actions of the Catholic Church.