Bookplate of Dominicus Frauenfelder

German 15th Century

1500

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Floral

About this work

This small woodcut shows a saint holding a book with a green cover. Black ink outlines the figure on cream paper. Yellow and brown add simple color to the folds of his robe. Hand-colored woodcuts were rare in 1500. Most prints stayed black and white. This one feels warm and personal because of the few colors. Look at the soft shading around the saint’s face. It uses cross-hatching to show shadow. See how the lines curve gently. Try finding chiaroscuro in the light on his hand. woodcut