A Brief History of Wood-engraving From Its Invention

A chronological survey traces the rise and refinement of wood-engraving from early fifteenth-century block-books and devotional prints through the more elaborate work of the sixteenth century. It examines regional schools in the Low Countries, Italy, France, England and Germany, describes technical advances from simple outline cuts to shading, cross-hatching, chiaroscuro and color printing, and profiles notable prints, publishers and artists while discussing block-book genres, illustrated chronicles and figure alphabets. Organized chapter by chapter, the text pairs technical explanation with illustrative examples and compares stylistic influences that shaped the medium's development over successive periods.