Title-Border with the Story of Salome and St. John the Baptist 1500 - 1557

This is a woodcut made by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1536, a relief printing process where an image is carved into a block of wood, then inked and pressed onto paper. The stark contrast between the black lines and the white paper is a key characteristic of woodcut prints. You can see the level of detail Cranach achieved with this method. The varying thickness of lines creates depth and shading, bringing the biblical scenes to life. The process demanded great skill and patience. Cranach would have needed expertise in carving the wood block to avoid splintering. The work involved long hours and a steady hand, typical of craft production during the Renaissance. As a print, it could be reproduced, which speaks to a significant shift towards mass communication during the Reformation. The very nature of this artwork, its materiality, and means of production, situates it at the intersection of craft traditions and broader social change.