The Physician

About this work

This woodcut shows a group of four figures in a dim room with heavy drapes. One person kneels, holding a limp body on the floor, while another stands nearby. The third figure, dressed in a long robe, points upward at a small scene of a baby in a crib. The fourth person, on the right, looks on with a staff in hand. The baby in the crib might seem odd in this scene—it’s not clear why it’s there. The artist used sharp lines and shading to create depth, which was a common way to make woodcuts look more three-dimensional. Next, look up technique: woodcut to see how artists like this made prints.