One of the greatest inventions to come from the Western world and specifically from Northern Europe (Germany) in the early Renaissance period was that of the printing press and the development of the graphic arts. "In an environment permeated by almost infinitely multiplied images—in newspapers and magazines, on billboards and computer screens—it is hard to imagine a world in which every image was unique. Yet prior to the fifteenth century, images were not only one-of-a-kind but rare, generally found locked away in palaces, to which few had access, or affixed to the wall of a church.The technology of printmaking, which first fell into place around 1400, suddenly made it possible for hundreds or even thousands of essentially identical images to be produced from a single matrix of carved wood or metal. When this invention was followed in the mid-fifteenth century by the introduction of movable type, so that the first printed books could be produced, the possibilities for the spread of knowledge and ideas expanded in an unprecedented manner. The study of science was advanced through accurate transmission of the forms of medicinal herbs and the results of anatomical investigations; the art of engineering took a great leap forward as detailed diagrams of newly invented machines were duplicated and dispersed throughout Europe, accompanied by instructions. Yet for all the far-reaching results of the capacity to multiply images, the initial demand driving the early print market was the desire for playing cards and inexpensive devotional images. Prints provided a means of mass-producing these objects that brought them within the reach of even the poorest members of society." –Wendy Thompson. “The Printed Image in the West: History and Techniques.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/prnt/hd_prnt.htm (October 2003) As we discussed the Buxheim St. Christopher, a woodcut (a relief or raised printing method), and Martin Schongauer's, Temptation of St. Anthony, an engraving (an intaglio or incised printing method), I hope that the two videos below will help to elaborate on these printmaking processes. As you watch the videos, think about the possible advantages and disadvantages of printmaking. Do you think that a woodcut or an engraving is better? Why? What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of printing from a woodcut or an engraving? Post your opinions on either question by Wednesday, March 1, 11:59 pm. (10 pts for completion by due date)
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