DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28460#0284
Part II.—introduction. 253
those of the Procession ancl the 'VVeisskunig by a number of engravers,
partly German, part-ly Flemisli, workinl under tlie direction of
Jost de Negker, a native of Antwerp, who arrived at Augsburg in
1508 and remained for many years the foremost wood-engraver of
that city. There is no other case in which we have so much definite
information about wood-engravers as is afforded by the signed and
dated blocks at Vienna, and the documents publislied by T. Herberger
in his book, “ Conrad Peutinger in seinem Verhaltnisse zum Kaiser
Maximilian I” (Augsburg, 1851). Tlie general result of what we
know about these Nuremberg and Augsburg wood-cutters, and about
the relations of Sebald Beham with Eesck, Meldemann, Glockenton,
and Guldenmund at Nuremberg, or of Holbein with Liitzelburger,
Jakob Faber, and the monogrammist C.V., at Basle, is to support the
opinion that it was tlie general, if not tlie invariable practice at this
period for the drauglitsman to design the woodcut and leave its
execution to the professional wood-engraver.1 The only original
artist to whom the practice of wood-engraving has been attributed by
modern critics, with some sliow of reason, is Albrecht Altdorfer; but
even in liis case no positive proof- exists, in spite of the preservation
at Munich of such a unique “ document ” as a woodblock with a
drawing from his hand, which the engraver has scarcely begun
to cut.2
The signature of the engraver by itself, or in addition to tliat of
the designer, occurs on the face of the woodblock rnore frequently
in this period than in the xv century, but it is not till after 1550
that it becomes really common. It is then often accompanied by a
knife, while the designer’s monogram sometimes has a quill pen
distinctly drawn beside it.3 The wood-engraver is rarely nrentioned
m the title or text of an illustrated book. A remarkable exception
to this rule is the case of Veit Rudolph Speckle, or Specklin, wlio
cut the illustrations to a botanical work by L. Fuclrs, “ De Historia
Stirpium,” Basle, 1542. That book contains the portraits of Fuclis,
the author, Fullmaurer and Meyer, the designers of the woodcuts,-
and Speckle, the engraver.
The blocks of MaximiliaiTs publications, preserved at Vienna, are
important also as illustrating a technical process which carne into
frequent use at the beginnmg of the xvi century. This was the
practice of' making corrections in the bloek, after it had once been
1 See pp. 27? 28.
2 W. Schinidt, “ Handzeichnungen alter Meister im k. Kupferstichkabinet zu
Miinchen,” ix, 16i, b, c. Also reproduced iu T. Sturge Moore’s “ Altdorfer ” in the
“ Little Engravings” series, Unicorn Press, London, 1902.
1 See p. 27, note ?>.
The bloek
seldom, if
ever, cut’bv
the designer
Wood-
engravers’
signatures.
How correc-
tions were
made in tbe
blocks.
those of the Procession ancl the 'VVeisskunig by a number of engravers,
partly German, part-ly Flemisli, workinl under tlie direction of
Jost de Negker, a native of Antwerp, who arrived at Augsburg in
1508 and remained for many years the foremost wood-engraver of
that city. There is no other case in which we have so much definite
information about wood-engravers as is afforded by the signed and
dated blocks at Vienna, and the documents publislied by T. Herberger
in his book, “ Conrad Peutinger in seinem Verhaltnisse zum Kaiser
Maximilian I” (Augsburg, 1851). Tlie general result of what we
know about these Nuremberg and Augsburg wood-cutters, and about
the relations of Sebald Beham with Eesck, Meldemann, Glockenton,
and Guldenmund at Nuremberg, or of Holbein with Liitzelburger,
Jakob Faber, and the monogrammist C.V., at Basle, is to support the
opinion that it was tlie general, if not tlie invariable practice at this
period for the drauglitsman to design the woodcut and leave its
execution to the professional wood-engraver.1 The only original
artist to whom the practice of wood-engraving has been attributed by
modern critics, with some sliow of reason, is Albrecht Altdorfer; but
even in liis case no positive proof- exists, in spite of the preservation
at Munich of such a unique “ document ” as a woodblock with a
drawing from his hand, which the engraver has scarcely begun
to cut.2
The signature of the engraver by itself, or in addition to tliat of
the designer, occurs on the face of the woodblock rnore frequently
in this period than in the xv century, but it is not till after 1550
that it becomes really common. It is then often accompanied by a
knife, while the designer’s monogram sometimes has a quill pen
distinctly drawn beside it.3 The wood-engraver is rarely nrentioned
m the title or text of an illustrated book. A remarkable exception
to this rule is the case of Veit Rudolph Speckle, or Specklin, wlio
cut the illustrations to a botanical work by L. Fuclrs, “ De Historia
Stirpium,” Basle, 1542. That book contains the portraits of Fuclis,
the author, Fullmaurer and Meyer, the designers of the woodcuts,-
and Speckle, the engraver.
The blocks of MaximiliaiTs publications, preserved at Vienna, are
important also as illustrating a technical process which carne into
frequent use at the beginnmg of the xvi century. This was the
practice of' making corrections in the bloek, after it had once been
1 See pp. 27? 28.
2 W. Schinidt, “ Handzeichnungen alter Meister im k. Kupferstichkabinet zu
Miinchen,” ix, 16i, b, c. Also reproduced iu T. Sturge Moore’s “ Altdorfer ” in the
“ Little Engravings” series, Unicorn Press, London, 1902.
1 See p. 27, note ?>.
The bloek
seldom, if
ever, cut’bv
the designer
Wood-
engravers’
signatures.
How correc-
tions were
made in tbe
blocks.