Carpenter 1500 - 1538

Albrecht Altdorfer created this tiny print, "Carpenter," using etching, a printmaking technique that employs acid to incise lines on a metal plate. The fineness of the etching medium has a direct connection to the subject. See how Altdorfer has captured the carpenter’s fatigue, the heaviness in his posture? This is a man intimately connected to his craft, his livelihood etched—quite literally—into the lines of his face. The scene offers a glimpse into the life of labor, the details revealing the tools of the carpenter’s trade, and his engagement with the material of wood. Altdorfer's choice of printmaking democratizes the image, making it accessible to a wider audience than a painting would be. In this way, the artwork underscores the value and dignity of labor, blurring the lines between the fine arts and the crafts.