1523
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Letter Z is a 1523 ink by Hans Lützelburger, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows a busy scene packed into a tight square frame. At the top, a line of people leans over a long table, passing letters or papers. Below, a group of people stands around a cart pulled by two horses, while others load or unload items. The bottom border is filled with more tiny figures, some holding letters or tools. The whole image feels crammed with activity, using sharp lines and bold contrasts. The artist used a technique called woodcut, where the design is carved into wood and then inked. This method was common in the Renaissance for spreading ideas quickly. Try looking up woodcut to see how artists made prints like this one.
Hans Lützelburger (died June 1526), also known as Hans Franck, was a German blockcutter ("formschneider") for woodcuts, regarded as one of the finest of his day.
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