Het openen van het vijfde en het zesde zegel 1497 - 1511

Albrecht Dürer made this woodcut, ‘The Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seals,’ as one of fifteen plates for his Apocalypse series. Woodcut is a relief printing process. Dürer would have used specialized knives and gouges to carve away the areas of a woodblock that he didn't want to print. The remaining raised surface was then inked and pressed onto paper. The stark contrast between the cut and uncut areas gives this print its dramatic, high-contrast appearance. Dürer’s skill is evident in the fine lines and intricate details he achieved. Look at the textures he creates with the hatching and cross-hatching. Woodcut was a relatively accessible medium, allowing for mass production of images. This made Dürer’s work widely available, contributing to his fame and influence. The medium itself emphasizes the stark realities of the apocalypse, reflecting the social anxieties of the time. It's a powerful reminder of how materials and making processes are crucial to the impact and understanding of art.