Hoofdman
1573
Medium
paper
Dimensions
144; 88; 129; 113
About this artwork
collector's mark: Lugt 240
Art Historical Context
**Hoofdman** by Jost Amman, in 1573, is a delicate work on paper measuring just 144 mm high by 129 mm wide—compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Amman, a prolific Swiss-German artist and engraver active in Nuremberg, was renowned for his intricate woodcuts and copperplate engravings that illustrated books on trades, costumes, and daily life. This piece likely captures a "Hoofdman," or chieftain, reflecting the era's fascination with leadership figures and historical attire amid the Protestant Reformation and expanding European trade. Amman's mastery shines in his precise line work, ...
About the Artist
Jost Amman · 1539–1591
Jost Amman (1539–1591) was a Swiss-born woodcut designer, engraver, and illustrator who became one of the most prolific and influential graphic artists of sixteenth-century Germany, producing an output of extraordinary range and technical virtuosity that shaped the visual culture of the later Reformation era. Born in Zurich, Amman moved to Nuremberg around 1560, the city that had been the center o...