Ooievaar met een kikker 1586 - 1636

This print, Ooievaar met een kikker, was made in Nuremberg, Germany, and its primary medium is woodcut, with color added afterwards. The anonymous artist has used the woodcut technique to create a striking image. Lines are carved into a block of wood, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The material itself, wood, allows for bold lines and simplified forms, as seen in the stork's feathers and the frog clutched in its beak. The subsequent addition of color by hand emphasizes the graphic nature of the print. The flat areas of color and the distinct lines of the woodcut give the image its unique character. The inscription indicates it was printed by Peter Steinbach. During this period, printmaking was a burgeoning industry, closely tied to the rise of literacy and the dissemination of information. This print would have been relatively affordable, making it accessible to a wider audience than a painting. It's a reminder that even seemingly simple images have complex histories, connected to labor, technology, and the culture of their time.