J. S. Bach — The Well-Tempered Clavier I, the last page (autograph)

Bach’s own hand — the last page of The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, ending in “Fine” and “S. D. G.”. Nothing redrawn.

The document

A faithful facsimile of leaf 45 verso of the autograph, held at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Mus.ms. Bach P 415). After the last bars of the Fugue in B minor, squeezed onto a short system at the foot of the page, Bach writes “Fine” and “S. D. G.”: Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone.

About the artist

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) began this book as a fair copy for pupils to copy from, and kept revising it for twenty years.

The print

Printed to order and made to last. Choose Museum Matte (heavyweight matte art paper) or Fine Art Giclée (Hahnemühle cotton paper — the archival standard). The Métrica museum caption — artist, title, date and source — is printed as part of the piece, set in our house type. Free US shipping on two or more pieces.

J. S. Bach · The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, the last page, autograph · 1722–23 · Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin · Mus.ms. Bach P 415 · Public Domain Mark.

Theme: Music manuscript — Johann Sebastian Bach’s handwritten score — the last page of The Well-Tempered Clavier I.