Ein Briester wardt gefanngen ...
Master of the Miracles of Mariazell
1503
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Master of the Miracles of Mariazell
1503
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ein Briester wardt gefanngen ... is a 1503 ink by Master of the Miracles of Mariazell, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image is a black-and-white woodcut packed with tiny figures and swirling plants. A crowd of people surrounds a central scene where a man is being pulled from a hole in the ground. The trees and bushes are drawn with wild, tangled lines, and the sky above is filled with more figures watching from the clouds. The text at the bottom is in German, hinting at a story about rescue and faith. This style was common in religious prints of the time. Look up woodcut to see how artists carved images into wood blocks.
