The Entombment c. 1480

Martin Schongauer made this print, ‘The Entombment,’ using the exacting technique of engraving. He would have used a tool called a burin to manually cut lines into a copper plate. Look closely, and you can see how Schongauer controlled the burin to create different depths and thicknesses of lines to model the figures and create tone. See how the cross-hatching and parallel lines define the folds of fabric, the musculature of Christ’s body, and the grief-stricken faces of the mourners. The amount of labor involved is considerable; every single mark is the product of a considered action. In Schongauer’s time, printmaking was becoming increasingly important as a means of distributing images widely and rapidly. This was the age of emerging capitalism, so this was no small thing. The relative accessibility of prints allowed people from different social classes to engage with religious imagery, challenging traditional notions of exclusivity around art and devotion. By focusing on the skilled labor and the social context of its production, we can appreciate how printmaking democratized art and connected craft with wider audiences.