J. S. Bach — The Well-Tempered Clavier, title page, 1722 (autograph)

Bach’s own hand — the title page of The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, with his name and the year 1722. Nothing redrawn.

The document

A faithful facsimile of the title page of Bach’s autograph, held at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Mus.ms. Bach P 415). It promises preludes and fugues “through all the tones and semitones” — durch alle Tone und Semitonia. The library’s red stamp is left as it is.

About the artist

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) was Kapellmeister at the court of Köthen when he wrote out this fair copy: a prelude and a fugue in every key, rising a semitone at a time from C.

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 · Das Wohltemperirte Clavier, title page, autograph · 1722 · Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin · Mus.ms. Bach P 415 · Public Domain Mark.

Theme: Music manuscript — Johann Sebastian Bach’s handwritten score — the title page of The Well-Tempered Clavier, 1722.