1526
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Mendicant Friar is a 1526 ink by Hans Lützelburger, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows a chaotic scene with a friar on the ground, tangled in ropes and surrounded by small, ghostly figures. The friar’s robes are loose, and his face looks pained. Above him, a cloud-like shape hovers, while other figures—some winged—seem to pull or push him. The friar’s belt is decorated with a small circular emblem, and the whole image feels crowded with movement. This style was common in religious art of the time to show moral lessons. Look up woodcut to see how this printmaking technique works.
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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