This delicate foliage pattern was originally crafted to adorn a 17th-century binding of the Passion Series. The original work was created in 1521 by the northern Renaissance painter Lucas van Leyden, one of the greatest engravers of his time.<\#13><\e><\e>This edition contains not Van Leydens 1521 version, but rather a copy of it done by Jan Harmensz. Muller, an artist best known for his skillful reinterpretations of the work of his predecessors. So exactly replicated were his engravings, that Van Leydens original dates and monogram appear in Mullers woodcut plates. Though there is no indication that Muller himself attempted to pass off his work as that of the earlier master, scratched-out marks in this edition suggest that previous owners tried to make it appear as though they owned an original Van Leyden. It is only thanks to a small engraving of Mullers name that we know this is a reproduction.<\#13><\e><\e>With a complicated history not unlike the tangled branches depicted on the cover, this Tree of Life binding stands out amongst the British Librarys collection of antique tomes.
