Portraits of Maximilian's Relatives; and The Base of the Right Outer Column with the Date 1515, from the Arch of Honor, proof, dated 1515, printed 1517-18 1515

This print, ‘Portraits of Maximilian’s Relatives’ by Albrecht Altdorfer, dated 1515, was made using the traditional process of woodcut. The image is formed by carefully removing areas from a block of wood, leaving a raised design, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. You can see the effect of this process in the crisp, graphic quality of the lines, which create a dense, almost architectural depiction of the Emperor Maximilian's lineage and power. The texture of the wood itself subtly influences the final print, adding a tactile dimension to the heraldic imagery. Woodcut was a relatively accessible medium at the time, yet its labor-intensive nature speaks to the vast amount of work required to produce and disseminate such propaganda. This print is not just a work of art, but also a document of social and political ambition, intricately linked to the modes of production and consumption of its time.