The Ox of St. Luke n.d.

This is Martin Schongauer’s ‘The Ox of Saint Luke,’ made in the late fifteenth century using the technique of engraving. Schongauer was the first 'star' in the history of printmaking, and this piece shows why. It's made by incising lines into a copper plate, applying ink, and then running it through a press. The process demanded real technical virtuosity. Notice the consistent line quality, and the fineness of the hatching that creates areas of tone and shadow. But why make prints at all? Well, this was a period of booming commerce and expanding markets. Printmaking allowed images to be produced at scale, and circulated widely. Schongauer wasn't just a master craftsman, he was an entrepreneur. His prints were relatively affordable, and helped to spread religious imagery far and wide. So when you look at this image, think about the skill involved, but also the social context that made such a thing possible. It's a perfect example of art meeting commerce, and craft meeting capitalism.