The War at Hainault
1515
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1515
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a battle scene with soldiers on horseback and foot fighting in a muddy field. The trees behind them are bare, and arrows fly through the air. It’s a woodcut from 1515—so the artist carved the image into wood, inked it, and pressed paper onto the block to make the print. Woodcuts were cheap and fast in the 1500s, so artists used them to spread news and stories. This one tells of a fight called the War at Hainault, but details are lost over time. Only one copy of this print survives today. Look at the harsh lines in the soldiers’ armor—it’s almost scratchy. Try finding it at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
