The Second Draught of Fishes by Saint Peter, from Das Plenarium 1517

Editor: This woodcut, "The Second Draught of Fishes by Saint Peter" from Das Plenarium, was created by Hans Schäufelein in 1517. The first thing that struck me was how compressed the composition feels, everyone is squeezed together, and how stylized the water is, almost like a pattern. What elements stand out to you? Curator: The artwork's power resides significantly in its strategic use of line and form. Note the linear quality; the woodcut medium imposes a graphic sensibility, emphasizing contours and creating dynamic interplay between the figures and their setting. Consider also how the arrangement of the figures in the boat creates a closed form, directing the viewer’s eye towards the center. What do you think this does? Editor: So, it makes it feel self-contained. A little world within the frame. Curator: Precisely. It emphasizes the shared experience, while also highlighting the structural unity inherent to the artwork itself, irrespective of the narrative being depicted. How the artist utilizes light and shadow to model forms—do you see that? The limited palette reinforces the abstract quality of the image, allowing the structural elements to come forward. Editor: I do, I see how the yellow haloes pop against the red and green in the figures’ clothes, giving them a graphic presence that is difficult to ignore. It's so different than the sfumato you'd see in Italian Renaissance painting at this time! Curator: Exactly. So the flattening contributes to a powerful image irreducible to mere religious narrative. This focus forces engagement with the artwork’s formal properties, beyond iconographic meaning. The visual tension is striking. Editor: I’m beginning to see it more as a system of lines and forms than just a depiction of a Biblical story. Thanks for helping me consider how to look *at* art! Curator: You are welcome! By focusing on structure, the artwork provides us a new method to contemplate art.