Popular print

As Einblattholzschnitt is defined as the earliest works in printing an image in Central Europe, made ​​1400-1550 as single sheets regardless of book and text printing. Prerequisite for their formation was the presence of paper. Einblattholzschnitte are among the highlights of linear expression of art.

Preserved Einblattholzschnitte

Preserved are around 3,400 copies, which, inter alia, are in the collections of Berlin, London, Munich, Paris, Vienna and Zurich. The Zurich Paper Collection Wickiana one example, 439 prints from the 16th century. The view of the scientists who discovered the leaves are the oldest, diverge. As one of the oldest surviving broadsheet applies a arisen around 1410 woodcut depicting "Christ in the winepress " ( Nuremberg, Germanic National Museum ). However, remains and is also a aufgefundenes in Mâcon, France Fragment of a Crucifixion, which probably originates from the period 1370-1380.

History of Einblattholzschnittes

Before the emergence of the Einblattholzschnittes in the 15th century religious images were accessible to most populations only in churches. The private purchase of oil paintings was restricted to the nobility and the high clergy, who owned the only to the necessary financial resources. This changed with the development of the woodcut, the occurrence of which is accompanied by the growing need for private devotional images, and, in response thereto can be understood ( according to some authors even needs to be understood ). With the new medium of Einblattholzschnittes it was widely possible to acquire religious imagery. Therefore, the increase in private ownership picture is closely correlated to a rather in Private zurückziehendem religious behavior, in which the private " conversation " with God grew in importance relative to the common liturgical celebration in the church. A special feature is the so-called Pestblätter; they showed in the first quarter of the 15th century the first revered as Pesthelfer saints ( such as St. John the Baptist and St. Sebastian ), after the invention of printing the leaves wore then prayers and finally even medical advice on the prevention and combating of disease.

As works of art, the leaves of buyers were not understood it - they were commodities. Also due to this fact, only a few leaves are therefore to this day preserved. For the few that are now preserved in museums, preservation happened mostly by accident. In economical monasteries they were glued as end papers in books and only rediscovered in the 19th and 20th centuries, together with its art-historical significance.

In its further development Einblattholzschnitte were combined into so-called block books.

Characteristics of Einblattholzschnittes

Einblattholzschnitte distinguished by the fact that they are only one -sided printing (front) and no reverse printing (rear) know (hence the name Einblattholzschnitt ). They were often produced as so-called collector prints. The " one-sidedness " of Einblattholzschnitte was the printing process. The driver pressure used is not allowed to print the rear side without damage to the front side.

The figures of the Einblattholzschnittes are clear and clearly marked as a rule, without consideration of spatial and physical activity. Since they were often intended for a subsequent, manual coloring, they are often limited in their representation on contour lines.