Printing changed art as much as it changed books. After Gutenberg's press in the 1450s, an artist could make a design once and sell hundreds of copies across Europe. Albrecht Dürer (1471 to 1528) of Nuremberg, in Germany, was the first artist to become famous everywhere through prints. He signed them with his monogram, a large A with a small D under it.
| Woodcut | Engraving | |
|---|---|---|
| Block | A block of wood | A plate of copper |
| How the design is made | The artist cuts away everything that should print white, leaving the lines raised | The artist cuts the lines into the metal with a sharp tool (a burin) |
| Where the ink sits | On the raised surface (a relief print) | In the cut grooves (an intaglio print); the surface is wiped clean |
| How it looks | Bold, strong lines | Very fine lines and delicate shading |
Looking closely: The Rhinoceros. In 1515 an Indian rhinoceros arrived in Lisbon, the first seen alive in Europe in centuries, a gift to the king of Portugal. Dürer never saw it. Working from a written description and a sketch sent to Nuremberg, he drew a beast covered in plates like armor, with scales on its legs and a small extra horn on its back. The bold black lines of the woodcut make it monumental. It is wrong in many details, yet it was so convincing that it was copied in books for centuries.
Looking closely: Young Hare. Dürer also studied nature directly. This hare crouches on bare paper, every hair painted with a fine brush: light and dark fur, long whiskers, ears turned back. A tiny glint in its eye may be the reflection of a window, as if it were sitting in his studio.
Key idea
Why it works
Worked example: Which kind of print?
- Wood, cut so the lines stand up: a relief block.
- Ink on the raised lines: a woodcut.
Answer: A woodcut.
Common mistake