Book Illustration n.d.

This tiny wood engraving was made by Thomas Bewick, probably in the late 1700s or early 1800s, and it shows a man being chased by dogs. Bewick was a master of this demanding medium. To make such a print, you’d take a block of very hard wood, usually boxwood, and carve into its end grain. This is much more resistant than carving with the grain, as in typical woodcut. It allows for astonishingly fine detail. Bewick’s mastery meant that wood engraving became the dominant form of commercial illustration in the 19th century, because it could be set right alongside type, and many impressions pulled without the image degrading. Look closely, and you can see the crispness of the lines, the subtle gradations of tone. And then consider the social implications: this isn’t just a virtuoso performance, it's a harbinger of mass media.