Mozes breekt de tafelen der wet (eerste deel) 1590

Andrea Andreani created this chiaroscuro woodcut, "Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law," around the turn of the 17th century. Woodcut is a relief printing process. The artist carves an image into the surface of a wood block, leaving raised areas that take ink. Andreani printed this image from multiple blocks, each inked with a different tone, to create a subtle range of light and shadow. This technique was painstaking, requiring careful registration to align the blocks. The graphic quality - the crisp lines and stark contrasts - results from the natural grain and resistance of the wood. Consider the labor involved in producing this print, not only the technical skill of the artist but also the physical effort of carving the wood. This work embodies a tension between the mechanical process of printmaking and the artist's creative vision, reminding us that even in reproduction, the hand remains present.