Fourteen Auxiliary Saints c. 1500

This print of the Fourteen Auxiliary Saints was made with woodcuts, a relief printing technique where an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the remaining parts of the block creating the print. The process involves carefully cutting away the wood around the figures, leaving the outlines and inner details raised. Ink is then applied to the raised surfaces, and the block is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The texture of the wood itself influences the final appearance of the print, often revealing the grain and marks of the carving tools. The coloring would have required separate printing runs for each color, making for an even more laborious process. The beauty of woodcut lies in its directness and the tangible evidence of the maker's hand. Understanding how it was made gives us insight into its cultural significance, showing a blend of skilled craftsmanship, artistic expression, and accessible dissemination of religious imagery, especially in a pre-photographic age. So, in looking closely, we appreciate the vital intersection of material, making, and context.