White Lily, illustration from Gart der Gesundheit (Sch.4332) 1485

This illustration of a white lily comes from the Gart der Gesundheit, a late-fifteenth-century German book, and was made through a combination of woodcut printing and hand-applied color. The process began with a skilled artisan carving the image into a block of wood. This was then inked and pressed onto paper, allowing for multiple impressions and widespread distribution. What’s interesting is that the lily isn't depicted realistically, but is stylized, with bold outlines and flat areas of colour. This aesthetic wasn't a matter of insufficient skill. Rather, the choice to emphasize clear, graphic lines was an important one. The printing press was a transformative technology. Books like the Gart der Gesundheit made information available to a broader audience than ever before. In this context, the relative simplicity of the print was a virtue, contributing to its accessibility. It is a potent reminder that every aesthetic choice embeds a social logic.