Christ on the Mount of Olives (Schr. 205a) 15th century

This small, anonymous print of Christ on the Mount of Olives was made using woodcut, a relatively accessible printmaking technique. The artist would have carved the image into a block of wood, likely using simple knives and gouges. The block would then be inked and pressed onto paper, creating multiple identical images. The work’s texture reveals the inherent qualities of the wood. Notice the linear marks defining the figures and landscape – these are directly related to the grain of the wood and the artist's carving motions. The hand-coloring adds another layer of materiality, with each print potentially varying slightly in its application. Woodcut was a popular method for disseminating religious imagery, aligning with the rise of print culture and the Reformation. This small, easily reproduced image would have been affordable and accessible to a wide audience. The materiality and method of production speak to the democratizing potential of printmaking at the time, challenging the notion of art as a unique, precious object. The value of this work lies not just in its religious subject matter, but also in its connection to broader social and technological shifts.