Zitting van de krijgsraad 1573

Jost Amman made this print, 'Zitting van de krijgsraad,' using woodcut, a relief printing process. The artist carves away the areas of a wood block that he doesn't want to print, leaving the design raised. The making process demands considerable skill. Looking closely, we see that Amman has used a variety of marks to create tone and texture. He also has incredible control of line weight. Look at the elaborate border: it gives the composition a sense of dynamism. Woodcut was a key technology in the 16th century. It enabled the relatively quick reproduction of images, making them accessible to a broad public. The proliferation of printed images coincides with increasing literacy, and also, with military expansion and the rise of capitalism. So, in a way, the medium is the message here. Prints like this one played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and disseminating information, far beyond the circles of fine art.