File:The Death of the Virgin, by Martin Schongauer.jpg

Identifier: printsbriefrevie00rich (find matches)
Title: Prints; a brief review of their technique and history
Year: 1914 (1910s)
Authors: Richter, Emil Heinrich, 1869-
Subjects: Engraving -- History Engravers
Publisher: Boston, New York : Houghton Mifflin Company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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way, — but his bodies, 41 PRINTS though lacking in structural skill, are won-derfully well caught in pose and gesture. Hisobservation and his resourceful imaginationwere fully recognized by both Dtirer andRaphael, who both availed themselves of hisachievements. The graver helps to roundthe forms, by following the direction of thecurves. Long, steady, curving strokes, em-phasized in the deep shadows, breaking up— in the lights — into dots w hich blend intothe high lights of white paper. No hesitat-ing, little criss-cross strokes here, but a dig-nified simplicity of line which enhances thedignity and simplicity of his compositions.Remember that in order to appreciate theseessential qualities of line and of resultingeffect, you must consult the original prints;half-tone illustrations cannot be expectedto convey more than a general idea of theoriginals. It would be unfair to attribute all thisartistic development to German initiativealone. Italy has practically no share in it, at 42
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DEATH OF THE VIRGINMartin Schougauer THE EARLY DAYS OF ENGRAVING this period, but the close commercial rela-tions existing between Germany and theBurgundian Netherlands must have facili-tated an artistic intercourse most beneficialto the former country. The stupendous crea-tions of the brothers Van Eyck, of Van derWeyden, Memling, Van der Goes, and othersdid induce workers in the artistic crafts tovisit the Low Countries. Their contempla-tion must have been a source of stimulatinginspiration to the German painters, and in-directly to German engraving. Direct influ-ence there could not be, since we look in vainthrough the ranks of this flourishing schoolof Flemish painters for any manifestation inthe graphic arts. Only the arts of opulence:painting, costly illuminated manuscriptswith miniatures, or the woven tapestries ofArras and Brussels, brocades, and laces, wereproduced in the prosperous towns and at thebrilliant ducal court of Burgundy. Early Italian engraving begins with the 43 P

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