St. Apollonia with Pulled Tooth (Nuremberg)

St. Apollonia with Pulled Tooth is a modern colorized version of an antique woodcut from The Nuremberg Chronicle (Liber Chronicarum). Written by Hartmann Schedal, The Chronicle is an illustrated, encyclopedic account of world history to the end of the 15th century (and beyond to the Last Judgment). Its content was derived from mythology, the Bible, and various Medieval Chronicles. It was published in the city of Nuremberg by Anton Koberger in July 1493 in Latin and, a few months later, in December in vernacular German. The Chronicle is especially noteworthy for its unprecedented use of illustrations: 645 original woodcuts were produced for its publication. While many woodcuts were reused more than once in the text with the captions simply changed, nevertheless, the volume boasts 1089 pictures in toto. Some copies have contemporary hand-colored illustrations. + A deaconess in 3rd-century Alexandria, Egypt, St. Apollonia had her teeth pulled or knocked out by an angry anti-Christian mob during a riot before her martyrdom. For this reason, she is the patron saint of dentistry. + Feast: February 9