A History Of Wood Engraving by Douglas Percy Bliss

Author:Douglas Percy Bliss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2013-03-08T16:00:00+00:00

Burgkmair Griffon. From the “Triumph of Maximilian” (14¾” X 13")

Schaufelein’s hand can be detected in part of the designs for the Triumph and Dürer is responsible for the historiated chariots; but the main credit for the work rests with the Augsburg painter, Hans Burgk-mair, who is certainly the author of sixty-seven of the blocks (including numbers I to 56). The knights who bear the banners of Burgundy and Austria are drawn by yet another artist to whom Mr. Dodgson also ascribes the concluding blocks of the series and calls him the “Master of the Tross.” It has ever been our way to leave the discussion of subjects of attribution to the learned, and it is sufficient to say here that the so-called “Master of the Tross” works in the style of the Danube School and is a little reminiscent of Altdorfer and Wolfgang Huber. The woodcuts were based upon a written programme illustrated with miniatures, but these were transformed with the utmost freedom. The engravers were numerous, their names are preserved and the numbers of the particular blocks they finished—all but three of these are preserved at Vienna. Two names of engravers are worthy of remembrance, Jerome Andrea and Jost de Negker.

In addition to the small Triumphal Car celebrating the marriage of Austria and Burgundy which has its place in the Procession, Dürer designed a large Triumphal Car which he published in 1522. It is one of his show pieces devoid of feeling, a tour deforce exhibiting all his resources of manual dexterity and fecundity of invention. Personifications of Victory, Temperance and the like, dull schematic figures in crinkly draperies, flourish garlands or run alongside the rearing horses that draw the rococo chariot of the emperor. The very reins are emblematic of Nobility or Power and the wheels are surcharged Dignitas, Gloria or the like.

The Weisskunig was a picture-book on a most ambitious scale planned by the emperor to commemorate and glorify the history of his reign. The scheme was so involved and the allegorical apparatus so delicate that many hitches took place in the production, so that Max did not live to see its publication. Two hundred and thirty-six of the blocks of :this folio exist at Vienna, but it was not published until as late as 1775. The designers were Burgkmair, Beck, Schaufelein and Springinklee, and a considerable standard of florid, decorative excellence is kept throughout, but the Weisskunig is somehow a tired performance. There are few blocks which one can pick upon as unexpectedly and inevitably beautiful in design.

The Theuerdank, a long allegorical poem shadowing forth the courtship of Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy, was written by an imperial courtier called Pfinzing and published in 1517. A remarkable black-letter type with great flourishes was cut especially for the book and there were scores of competent designs chiefly by Schaufelein. This artist had learnt the style and artistic conventions of his day very thoroughly and had considerable facility of design and drawing; but being without the knowledge of

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