Lovers 1511

Albrecht Altdorfer created this woodcut, "Lovers," sometime in the early 16th century, deploying the traditional printmaking material of wood. Look closely, and you can see how the fine lines were painstakingly carved into the block to create this intimate scene. Altdorfer would have used a range of specialized tools to achieve the range of tones and textures in the image. This includes the tiny details of the lovers' garments, to the feathery foliage in the landscape. Woodcut is a relief printing technique, meaning that the areas that are to be printed are left raised, while the non-printing areas are cut away. This process requires great skill and precision, as the artist must work in reverse. The labor involved is significant, each line representing hours of focused carving. Consider that this print would have been one of many. Each impression pulled from the block allowing for the wide circulation of Altdorfer's design. This speaks to the rise of printmaking as a burgeoning industry during the Renaissance. It also collapses the traditional distinction between art and craft. It allows for an expanded audience to access the artist's vision.