Aanbidding door de koningen

About this artwork

clair-obscur houtsnede in zwart en bruin; gedrukt van een houten lijnblok en van twee houten toonblokken

Art Historical Context

Niccolò Vicentino’s *Aanbidding door de koningen* (Adoration of the Kings) captures the biblical visit of the Magi to the infant Christ in a compact yet expressive chiaroscuro woodcut. Created in 1605, the print exemplifies the Italian tradition of multi-block woodcuts that flourished in the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Vicentino, working in the wake of masters such as Ugo da Carpi, employed the technique to translate the dramatic lighting and sculptural forms of painted altarpieces into an affordable, reproducible medium. Printed from a single line block and two tone blocks in...