DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7598#0298
CHAP. VIII.]
OF ENGRAVING IN WOOD.
757
admit, prove very satisfactorily that the great bulk of the numerous
wood cuts bearing the initials of Burgmair were not cut upon the
wooden blocks by his own hand ; and, by a parity of reasoning, it
may be fair to conclude the same of a large proportion of those
bearing the monograms or initials of Durer and other eminent
designers : but I can by no means persuade myself that the abilities
of the ordinary wood engravers, who abounded in Germany at the
close of the fifteenth centurv, could have been such as to render
them in any material degree instrumental in bringing about that
sudden, and almost miraculous improvement, which took place in
their art at that period. They were uninstructed in the rudiments
of design, and had been accustomed from their infancy to manufac-
ture the barbarous wood cuts used by the illuminists and venders of
cards and devotional images, in which scrupulous exactness in the
copyist would have been a mere waste of time: they must have been
utterly incapable of comprehending, or appreciating, those delicate,
but free and masterly touches, which characterize the designs of a
great and finished artist like Durer; and of consequence wholly
unqualified to represent them upon the wooden blocks with any
tolerable degree of fidelity. We may indeed suppose them to have
handled the tools then used in their art with that dexterity and ease
which long practice commonly insures;—but that is all;—and it is
probable that these tools were few in number, and but ill adapted to
the complicated and delicate kind of workmanship that was required
in wood engravings of so much more finished a character than those
which they had hitherto been called upon to execute. I therefore
back of the blocks Nos. 120, 121, coupled
in the former instance with that of Cornelius
Liefrinc/;.] 14. J an Taberith. 15. P.P.
16. A Monogram composed of the letters
H. ./*'. 17. IV. R. The Imperial Library
likewise possesses an hundred and twenty-two
blocks, engraved from the designs of Burgmair,
representing the Saints, male and female, of
the family of Maximilian. One hundred
and nineteen of these were published in 1799
Upon the backs of these blocks are the names
of the eight following engravers in wood :
Hans Frank, Comeille Liefrink, Alexis
Lindt, Josse de Negker, Wolfgang Resch,
Hans Taberith, Wilhelm Taberith, and
Nicolas Seemann
OF ENGRAVING IN WOOD.
757
admit, prove very satisfactorily that the great bulk of the numerous
wood cuts bearing the initials of Burgmair were not cut upon the
wooden blocks by his own hand ; and, by a parity of reasoning, it
may be fair to conclude the same of a large proportion of those
bearing the monograms or initials of Durer and other eminent
designers : but I can by no means persuade myself that the abilities
of the ordinary wood engravers, who abounded in Germany at the
close of the fifteenth centurv, could have been such as to render
them in any material degree instrumental in bringing about that
sudden, and almost miraculous improvement, which took place in
their art at that period. They were uninstructed in the rudiments
of design, and had been accustomed from their infancy to manufac-
ture the barbarous wood cuts used by the illuminists and venders of
cards and devotional images, in which scrupulous exactness in the
copyist would have been a mere waste of time: they must have been
utterly incapable of comprehending, or appreciating, those delicate,
but free and masterly touches, which characterize the designs of a
great and finished artist like Durer; and of consequence wholly
unqualified to represent them upon the wooden blocks with any
tolerable degree of fidelity. We may indeed suppose them to have
handled the tools then used in their art with that dexterity and ease
which long practice commonly insures;—but that is all;—and it is
probable that these tools were few in number, and but ill adapted to
the complicated and delicate kind of workmanship that was required
in wood engravings of so much more finished a character than those
which they had hitherto been called upon to execute. I therefore
back of the blocks Nos. 120, 121, coupled
in the former instance with that of Cornelius
Liefrinc/;.] 14. J an Taberith. 15. P.P.
16. A Monogram composed of the letters
H. ./*'. 17. IV. R. The Imperial Library
likewise possesses an hundred and twenty-two
blocks, engraved from the designs of Burgmair,
representing the Saints, male and female, of
the family of Maximilian. One hundred
and nineteen of these were published in 1799
Upon the backs of these blocks are the names
of the eight following engravers in wood :
Hans Frank, Comeille Liefrink, Alexis
Lindt, Josse de Negker, Wolfgang Resch,
Hans Taberith, Wilhelm Taberith, and
Nicolas Seemann