The Last Judgment 

Ludwig of Ulm likely made this small woodcut, The Last Judgment, around the turn of the 16th century. It's a humble object, made with simple means. Woodcuts like these were essentially the newspapers of their day – devotional images available at relatively low cost. The process begins with a block of wood, painstakingly carved to leave the design in relief. Ink is then applied to the surface and transferred to paper, in multiple impressions. Finally, the print is hand-colored. The nature of the wood itself lends a graphic quality to the final image. The lines are clean and bold, almost like a stencil. The coloring feels quite flat. These qualities allowed for the rapid production and widespread distribution of images, bringing art to a broader audience. So, when we look at this print, we’re not just seeing a depiction of a religious scene, but also a window into the world of early mass media. It reminds us that art isn't always about precious materials and rarefied techniques, but often about getting a message across, as efficiently as possible.