Pietà with Saint John c. 1475 - 1485

This woodcut, "Pietà with Saint John," probably produced in Germany, demonstrates a traditional printing technique used to create multiple images on paper. The process begins with a block of wood. Using knives and gouges, the artist carves away the areas that will not be printed, leaving a raised design. Ink is then applied to the surface and the block pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The hand-coloring enhances the print, giving it a unique quality. Notice the heavy outlines and flat areas of color, typical of woodcut prints. The lines were made by hand and demonstrate craft skill, and would have been a fairly inexpensive way to produce devotional images. The texture of the wood grain may also be visible in the print, evidence of the material's inherent qualities. The production process has a social significance, as it allowed for the wider distribution of religious imagery to the masses. Appreciating the material and making of this print can help us to understand how art was created and consumed in the past.