Tilman Riemenschneider
woodcut
22.5 x 48 inches
4 colors
hand printed
on washi
The history of printmaking started in Germany with woodblock printing in the early 15th century. Only a few decades later, Tilman Riemenschneider was born, around the year 1460. Riemenschneider was one of the most gifted woodcarvers of the early Renaissance. Many of his altars can still be seen in churches of southern Germany. He was the wealthy Bürgermeister of Würzburg and when the peasants rose against the oppressing nobility in 1525, he joined their side. The peasant wars ended with a bloody victory for the dukes and barons. As the story is told, Riemenschneider’s punishment was to have all the bones in his hands broken, so he would never work again. He died in 1531. This woodblock print is based on Riemenschneider’s carved self-portrait.
