1526
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Parish Priest is a 1526 ink by Hans Lützelburger, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This woodcut shows a priest in the center, holding a cross and a small model of a building. He’s standing outside a brick wall with a group of people around him—some look worried, others are praying. On the right, a skeleton-like figure crawls out of a grave, while a stormy sky looms above. The priest’s calm stance contrasts with the chaos around him, blending religion and death. This style was common in Renaissance art to teach lessons through symbols. Next, look up woodcut to see how artists carved images into wood blocks.
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.
See the richer artist page
