Hans Von Freiburg

This sheet is not framed. The sheet is in overall fair condition aside from small minor losses along the right side, flattened hard creases in the upper and lower left corners and rippling, especially in the middle of the sheet.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This woodcut was printed in the exceedingly rare first edition of the Layenspiegel, a work intended for lay judges who did not have the benefit of a formal legal training.  Because the publication summarizes all the relevant writings on civil law, penal law, and public law, it rapidly became a very important legal text.  The illustration depicts a Jew being forced to take the oath (More Judaico).  The More Judaico or Jewish Oath was a special form of oath which Jews in the Middle Ages were compelled to take in European courts in lawsuits with non-Jews.  The Oath was accompanied by various symbolic rituals that were intentionally humiliating. The Jews in this image are identified by the round badge (rota) they were forced to wear so as to be publicly identifiable.