Author Description

Prining from engraved metal plates developed in South Germany in the early 1400's and spread quickly through the Netherlands. The first engraving specifically designed as book illustrations date from 1476. While many Early Masters remain anonymous, work is identified by Jean Gossaert (Mabuse) who saw the work of Raphael and Michelangelo while in Italy. Others include Lucas van Leyden and Dirck Vellert, designer and painter of stained glass. Among the German engravers are Durer, Martin Schongauer and Master ES, who first used cross-hatching.