Koning zittend op troon in gesprek met staande man 1522 - 1534

Peter Flötner made this small woodcut depicting a king in conversation with a standing man sometime before his death in 1546. Woodcut is a relief printing process. The artist carves away the negative space from a block of wood, leaving the design to be printed raised on the surface. The technique lends itself to strong, graphic images like this one. Notice the crisp lines and bold contrasts between light and shadow. These aren't accidental; they are inherent qualities of the medium itself. The block would have been inked and then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Woodcut was a relatively accessible medium, allowing for the wide dissemination of images. It was an important part of the rise of print culture and helped to democratize art-making. While Flötner's subject matter is distinctly upper-class, the method allowed the image to reach a broad audience. Understanding the printing process is essential to understanding the artwork's form, function, and social context. It reminds us that art is not just about what is represented but how it is made and circulated.