St. Bridget (Schr. 1307a) 15th century

This small devotional print of Saint Bridget was made by an anonymous artist using woodcut, a relief printmaking technique. The artist carved the image into a block of wood, likely using small knives and gouges, leaving raised areas that would hold the ink. The block was then inked and pressed onto paper. The linear quality of the print, and the way the image is constructed from black lines, emphasize the labor intensive process of woodcutting. The artist carefully chipped away at the block to create the image we see before us. The process speaks to the wider world of production, and the amount of work that went into creating what might seem like a simple image. The addition of color by hand adds another layer of care to the work. The texture of the paper, and the slight imperfections in the print, remind us of the hand-made quality of this image. Paying attention to the materials, the making, and the context of this print helps us understand the full meaning of this work, and challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.