Stamboom van Frederik en Ottheinrich van Palts-Neuburg (plaat 19) 1535 - 1594

Jakob Clauser made this print, Stamboom van Frederik en Ottheinrich van Palts-Neuburg, using woodcut techniques. This isn’t just any tree; it's a family tree, or "Stamboom," tracing the lineage of Frederik and Ottheinrich van Palts-Neuburg. The choice of woodcut, a relief printing method where the design is carved into a wooden block, speaks volumes. It was a relatively accessible medium at the time, allowing for the wider dissemination of images and ideas, but also one that required a high degree of skill. Look closely, and you can see the mark of the knife, the careful removal of material that defines each figure and heraldic symbol. The texture of the wood itself lends a certain robustness to the image. The print served to assert status in a society where lineage mattered deeply. The labor-intensive process mirrors the effort to cultivate and maintain a family's power, embedding social meaning into the very fabric of the artwork. By appreciating the craft, we recognize how art, even in its reproductive form, engages with societal structures.