1529
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The First Prohibition is a 1529 ink by Lucas van Leyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows three figures standing in a wooded area. The person in the center, dressed in flowing robes, holds up their hands as if explaining something. To their right, a man in loose clothing points downward, while a woman with curly hair looks up at him. Trees and bushes fill the background, and the scene feels like a quiet moment of discussion. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth, a trick called *cross-hatching*. This was a common way to add texture in engravings before color was used. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.
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