1485
ink
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Bishop of Augsburg with Three Coats of Arms is a 1485 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a bishop dressed in fancy robes, standing on a small platform. He wears a tall red hat with jewels and holds a golden staff topped with a cross. Around his feet are three shields with animals and colors—one has a red deer, another is split red and white, and the third shows a black-and-white cow. The background has swirling black lines and gold accents. The bishop’s robes and shields suggest he was important, likely tied to a family or city. This kind of image was often used to show power and heritage in the 1400s. Look up woodcut to see how artists carved and printed images like this before photography.
This 15th-century German artist carved vivid religious scenes into metal and wood, then hand-painted them in bright, symbolic colors.
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