Famous engravers from several eras and their amazing works. What are engravings? Antique engravings (photo)

What are engravings? This question interests many. For some, a sonorous foreign word is associated with the image biblical story on a metal or stone board, others believe that it is just a design carved with a knife on the surface of the table.

However, to the question: “What are engravings?” - it is impossible to answer unequivocally, since the technologies for creating drawings are quite complex. But one thing is certain. Engraving is special kind graphic art, which has its own outstanding artists and unsurpassed masters.

Engraving technique

The art of painting does not require any technical means other than a set of artistic brushes, a palette and an easel. Another thing is engravings, which require multi-stage technical preparation, with many trial attempts. But then why is this necessary? Isn’t it easier to draw one picture and not waste time and effort on copying it multiple times? Moreover, the authentic cannot be repeated. However, this principle does not work here. The effect of the engraving lies in its unusualness; the structure of the design is fascinating.

Graphic images obtained by printing are called "prints". However, a print is a print from any original, and an engraving is a print from an engraved board. What are engravings in terms of manufacturing technology? Simple manipulations during which you need to press a sheet of paper against a board on which paint has previously been applied. Then this sheet is carefully separated from the board - and the engraving is ready.

Metal and wood

The art of engraving does not consist in making a print, but in making an original, from which any number of copies can then be made. The stronger the material from which the “board” is made, the more prints you can get. There are two types of engravings: letterpress and intaglio. The first method is to artistically cut the original into mirror image, in such a way that the paint transfers to the paper from the outer surface of the cut out design. And the second method provides that the paint will transfer to the paper sheet from the recesses on the “board” filled with it.

Art originated in the 15th century and has been modified several times since then. Engraving boards were originally made from sheet copper, as the softest metal. Later, woodcut technologies appeared, using which the board was cut out of hardwood. This method was less labor intensive and multi-color prints could be created. To do this, it was necessary to make several boards with different arrangements of the design elements. The sheet was applied to each board in turn, with intermediate drying, resulting in a colored image.

Antique engravings

Prints became widespread in the 15th century. The most valuable engravings were created at the same time, in the workshops of German artists Martin Schongauer and Albrecht Dürer. The Italians Andrea Mantegna and Antonio Pollaiuolo were not far behind them.

In the 16th century, the art of artistic imprinting received widespread recognition, in Europe engraving was elevated to the rank high art, mainly thanks to Durer's masterpieces such as "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", "Coat of Arms of Death", "Melancholia".

The end of the 16th century was marked by a breakthrough in the field of artistic engraving, simple drawings became a thing of the past, expressive plasticity appeared, cutting technologies became significantly more complex, parallel and cross hatching made it possible to achieve fantastic results in achieving a volumetric effect and in the play of chiaroscuro. The drawing acquired signs of sophistication, which served as an incentive for further improvement of techniques.

Development of engraving

Artists began to use etching of a metal base and obtained the technology of etching, which flourished in full force only in the 17th century. Brilliant portraitist Rembrandt also took up engravings and achieved significant success in this field. The artist Jean Callot completely devoted his life to the art of engraving and created a whole gallery of portraits of his contemporaries. became interested in translating his paintings into engravings. And Rubens organized a special workshop in which his paintings were reproduced.

Popularity

The 17th century became the golden time for the development of new art - engraving and etching. The list of genres in which artists worked kept expanding. These were portraits and landscapes, pastorals, battle scenes, still lifes, animals and many artists of that time considered it an honor to try their hand at the art of engraving. Entire albums appeared, united thematically, according to plot and artistic features. Hogarth's satirical etchings, Chodowiecki's miniatures, and a series of engravings by Francisco Goya instantly became famous.

The Art of Printmaking in Japan

Country Rising Sun, known for its artistic traditions, did not stand aside. Japanese engraving is a whole layer of the country's culture, part of its national fine art. The history of the appearance of the first ukiyo-e prints goes back to the 17th century. Then Japanese print was printed in black and white. At the beginning of the 18th century, artists introduced color printing, and ukiyo-e was transformed.

Engravings in Japan were inexpensive and in steady demand. They depicted scenes from life common people. These are, first of all, beautiful geishas (this was main topic), followed by sumo wrestlers, and in third place were famous actors kabuki theater After some time, landscape engraving came into fashion.

Protection of especially valuable specimens

The most famous etchings, both ancient and recent, are systematized. The engraving, the photo of which is available for public viewing, has its own registration number and, as a rule, is registered. This is necessary in order for her artistic value remained inviolable. Rare pieces, such as the masterpieces of Albrecht Durer, are under the protection of UNESCO. A world-famous or particularly valuable engraving, photographs and reproductions of which are placed in special Interpol directories, is protected by special services.

Modernity

At the beginning of the 20th century, the development of engraving as an art form continued. At Soviet power A whole generation of talented artists appeared who successfully worked in the field of etchings and prints. During this period, engraving experienced its next rise, the drawing became even more complex, its expressiveness approached its culmination. In the 30s, the Russian and then the Soviet school of engraving was formed, represented by talented artists, as well as their students. Perspective further development the art of etching took on a rosy picture. Then, already at pre-war years, the engraving became a poster, and its popularity decreased noticeably.

After the Great Patriotic War For almost 20 years, prints were produced only as a means of inexpensive but effective Soviet propaganda. Currently, the art of engraving is in a state of somewhat stagnation, there are no new enthusiasts, and older artists are busy with commercial projects. Although even today, to the question of what engravings are, any Russian is able to give a comprehensive answer. Perhaps in the future new types of engravings will appear, because art tends to be reborn in new forms.

It appeared in the 15th century, at the same time as the printed book and the great geographical discoveries. How new look art, accessible due to its low cost, engraving quickly gained popularity.

It became the first illustration in the book, first in the form of a woodcut (woodcut) and then chisel engraving(on metal).

The subjects of the engraving are as diverse as life itself, and it strives to accommodate it in all its manifestations. Following traditional religious subjects images appear in it ancient mythology, views of distant countries, portraits of rulers, secular and religious figures, writers and artists, images of flora and fauna, fashionable pictures and calendars, maps, drawings, gardens and parks, famous monuments antiquities.

On the one hand, the engraving is laconic, there is nothing superfluous here, everything is thought out to the smallest detail. On the other hand, the engravers’ works are full of hints and allegories, everything has a metaphorical meaning, each object is in accordance with medieval tradition corresponds to a certain concept.

The most famous engravers of several eras and their most outstanding works.

Albrecht Durer (1471 - 1528)

Albrecht Dürer became famous already in early age for his engravings he is still considered the most famous of the Renaissance artists. There were 18 children in Albrecht's family; he was the third child and second son in the family. Dürer's father took him to his workshop to teach him how to work with gold, but the boy showed an aptitude for painting and therefore became an apprentice to the engraver Mikhail Wolgemut.

Dürer was equally and amazingly gifted as a painter, engraver and draftsman, but the main place in his work belongs to graphics. His legacy is enormous; in its diversity it can be compared with the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci.

Based on the symbolism of the objects surrounding the knight, we can say that he rather personifies a negative force and unites with the devil, rather than being his victim. Therefore, it is no coincidence that a fox’s tail is attached to the horseman’s peak, a sign of a knight - a robber. The image of a fox's tail was associated with the idea of lies, hypocrisy, and the desire to snatch one's share of earthly goods by cunning. The image of the dog is stated here as adherence to the devil, greed and envy. The lizard is a symbol of pretense, an evil demon. The skull is associated with death and original sin.

Soviet art critic Ts. G. Nesselstrauss analyzes this engraving as follows: “... in front of us is the seashore, the boundless expanse of water and the twilight sky, cut through by a rainbow and the ominous rays of a comet. In the foreground, surrounded by randomly scattered carpentry and construction tools A winged woman sits, resting her head on her hand, immersed in deep thought. She has an open compass in her hand, and a bunch of keys and a wallet are tied to her belt. A wooden ball lies on the ground nearby, and further away you can see a large stone polyhedron, from behind which a melting crucible peeks out.

Behind the woman, a gloomy boy climbed onto a millstone and with difficulty writes something on a tablet. A skinny dog curled up nearby. To the right, in the background, rises a stone building, perhaps unfinished, since a wooden staircase is leaning against it. On the walls of the building hang an hourglass, scales and a bell and a magic square is inscribed. In the sky, in the rays of a comet, a huge bat. On the wings of the mouse there is an inscription: “Melancholy I” (...)

Immediately feeling that the winged woman is oppressed by doubts and dissatisfaction, the viewer, however, becomes stumped by the many hints scattered here. Why is Melancholy depicted winged, what does her inactivity mean, what kind of boy is depicted behind, what is the meaning magic square, what are the tools scattered around for?

Saint Jerome works hard, pen in hand, head surrounded by radiance. On the table there is only a book stand, on it is the work of St. Jerome, a crucifix and an inkwell. In the foreground there is a small dog sleeping peacefully and a formidable lion - this is an obligatory part of the legend of Jerome the Blessed. Large quantity The details and their careful attention to detail are amazing. The picture is full of small objects - symbols that catch the eye of the observer. There are more questions than answers, and this makes us think hard about a lot of things.

The subject of the engraving is a classic representation biblical history about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It is believed that the prototype for the figures of Adam and Eve were drawings from antique statues Apollo Belvedere and Venus of Medicea. Dürer left a full signature on the engraving, unlike his other engravings, which were only marked with a monogram.

The plot of “The Walk,” at first glance, is simple: a young burgher couple in rich suits walks outside the city, with rural landscape and a tree. However, the deep philosophical meaning plot - in the image of Death with hourglass above his head, peeking out from behind a tree. That is why the faces of young people are so thoughtful.

The bleak landscape, evoking hopeless melancholy, a bush of grass with sharp and dry leaves, bending limply in the wind, also takes on a special meaning. Everything reminds us of the temporality of existence. The village visible in the distance seems to be fenced off from the young couple by the figure of Death, instilling an acute feeling of loneliness and isolation from the world.

Proserpina, the daughter of the grain goddess Ceres, was collecting irises, roses, violets, hyacinths and daffodils in the meadow with her friends, when she was noticed, inflamed with love, by Pluto, the king underworld. He sped her off in a chariot, causing the abyss to open up in front of them and Proserpina was carried away into underground kingdom. Pluto was forced to let her go, but before that he gave her a pomegranate seed to taste so that she would not forget the kingdom of death and return to it. Since then, Proserpina spends half the year in kingdom of the dead and half - in the kingdom of the living.

The artist studied proportions and worked on the problem of depicting the naked body. In works on mythological themes Dürer sought to embody the classical ideal of beauty. The volume is round, almost sculptural form emphasized by circular strokes, as if sliding across the surface across the structure of the form. The picturesquely interpreted forest landscape organically includes figures of people and animals, embodying various symbols.

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720 - 1778)

Piranesi created “architectural fantasies” that amaze with the grandeur of spatial solutions and contrasts of light and shadow. Piranesi's works have always been valued by collectors as a manifestation of the amazing creative imagination and the highest artistic skill.

His works inspired many artists: Piranesi’s dungeons were admired by Victor Hugo, who created a whole series of drawings under their influence. Under the influence of his engravings, the scenery for Shakespeare's Hamlet and Beethoven's Fidelio were created.

And, no matter how terrifying it may sound, Piranesi’s architectural ideas inspired the architects of totalitarian regimes, Mussolini’s Italy, Stalin’s Soviet Union and Hitler's Third Reich, and at the same time he became almost the favorite architect of postmodernism.

Most famous works engraver - the “Dungeons” cycle and the “Roman Antiquities” cycle.

Cycle "Dungeons" (1749 - 1750)

“Dungeons” is much more expressive and feverish in design than other works by Piranesi of the same period. They are compared to delirium, a nightmare, a breakthrough of the subconscious. Columns lost in the darkness and height. Chains and rings for fastening fetters, embedded in walls and beams. Drawbridges hanging inside the building. Running away in different sides corridors with cameras. Massive stones stacked into pylons and arches. Pedestrian bridges at a terrible height. Stairs that are intertwined and bend at unnatural angles. An infernal machine for depriving oneself of freedom, depicted with a drama that is excessive for an admirer of classical beauty. The works are performed with amazing precision and terrify the viewer, making them believe that all this really existed.

Cycle “Roman Antiquities” (1748-1788)

In this collection, Piranesi recreated the image of Rome in all its diversity. He completed numerous views of the city from both the point of view of a scientist and a traveler. He saw that the remains of the ancient buildings of Rome were disappearing day after day from the damage caused by time, from the greed of the owners who, with barbaric unceremoniousness, illegally sold them in parts for the construction of new buildings. Therefore, he decided to preserve them through engravings.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525 - 1569)

The life and fate of Bruegel is mysterious. Until now, researchers are looking for the fantastic village of the same name, which supposedly gave its name to the young tramp who came to Antwerp for the mythical fish train and, although he started late in the sciences and arts, soon brilliantly made up for everything.

In the engraving, Bruegel depicted in an ironic manner an alchemist who creates a model of the world and world-creating processes, sets as his task the reproduction and spiritualization of the cosmos, and proceeds from the idea of the unity of the world and the universality of change.

The main mystery of this engraving is the year of its creation. The engraving shows the date 1642, but Bruegel the Elder died in 1569. His son, Bruegel the Younger, was not interested in engravings, although he was an artist. Perhaps the numbers on the engraving are not a date at all.

Gustave Doré (1832 - 1883)

Dore can rightly be called a colossus of illustration, because he seems to have interpreted all the masterpieces of world literature.

In addition to his talent in composition and drawing, Dore has that look that is inherent in poets, those who know the secrets nature. When engraving began to become wildly popular with the public in the 1860s, every author who wrote a book wanted Doré to illustrate it. Every publisher who published a book sought to publish it with Doré's illustrations. The number of the engraver's drawings reached forty-four thousand by May 1862.

One of Doré's illustrations for John Milton's poem " Lost Paradise" This engraving shows fallen angel, expelled from Paradise for pride.

Albrecht Durer - German painter and graphic artist, recognized as the largest European woodcut master and one of greatest masters Western European art Renaissance.

Dürer was born on May 21, 1471 in Nuremberg, in the family of a jeweler who came to this German city from Hungary in the middle of the 15th century. This family had eight children, of whom future artist was the third child and second son. His father, Albrecht Durer Sr., was a goldsmith
At first, the father tried to get his son interested in jewelry, but he discovered his son’s talent as an artist. At the age of 15, Albrecht was sent to study in the studio of the leading Nuremberg artist of the time, Michael Wolgemut. There Dürer mastered not only painting, but also engraving on wood and copper. His studies in 1490 traditionally ended with a journey - over four years the young man traveled to a number of cities in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, continuing to improve in fine arts and materials processing.

Self-portrait
(silver pencil drawing, 1484),

First of famous self-portraits Dürer was painted by him at the age of 13 (drawing with a silver pencil).

In 1494 Dürer returned to Nuremberg and soon after got married. Then, in the same year, he took a trip to Italy, where he became acquainted with the works of Mantegna, Polaiolo, Lorenzo di Credi and other masters. In 1495 Dürer returned to hometown and over the next ten years creates a significant part of his engravings.

In 1520, the artist took a trip to the Netherlands, where he fell victim to an unknown disease, which then tormented him for the rest of his life.

Dürer Aitoshi (Hungarian: Ajtósi) means “door” in Hungarian
Image open door on the shield on the coat of arms, is literal translation a word that means "door" in Hungarian. Eagle wings and a man's black skin are symbols often found in southern German heraldry; they were also used by the Nuremberg family of Dürer's mother, Barbara Holper.

IN recent years During his life, Albrecht Dürer paid a lot of attention to improving defensive fortifications, which was caused by the development of firearms. In his work “Guide to the Strengthening of Cities and Castles,” published in 1527, Dürer describes, in particular, the fundamental new type fortifications, which he called bastea.

Dürer was the first German artist to work simultaneously in both types of engraving - on wood and on copper. He achieved extraordinary expressiveness in wood engraving, reforming the traditional manner of work and using working techniques that had developed in metal engraving.

In all works there is a living person contemporary to Durer, often of the peasant type, with a characteristic, expressive face, dressed in the costume of that time and surrounded by a precisely conveyed setting or landscape of a certain area. Much space is devoted to household details.
Here for the first time the artist's interest in the naked body is revealed, which Durer conveys accurately and truthfully, choosing first of all the ugly and characteristic.

Metal and wood engravings by Albrecht Durer

The engraving “Knight, Death and the Devil” reveals the world of intensely conflicting relationships between man and environment, his understanding of duty and morality. The path of the armored rider is fraught with danger. From the gloomy thicket of the forest, ghosts jump across him - the devil with a halberd and death with an hourglass, reminding him of the transience of everything earthly, of the dangers and temptations of life. Ignoring them, the rider resolutely follows the chosen path. In his stern appearance there is a tension of will, illuminated by the light of reason, moral beauty a man faithful to duty, courageously confronting danger.

The "miracle of the sea" theme goes back to folk tale, the image of “Nemesis” was apparently borrowed by the artist from Poliziano’s poem “Manto”. In both engravings Dürer introduces local flavor, using as his background an image of a medieval German town in a mountainous landscape similar to those he sketched during his travels in southern Germany.
Both sheets are dominated by the ugly, but full of life figure of a naked woman.

The "Nemesis" engraving embodies a certain philosophical concept, undoubtedly connected with the events of those days; the figure of a woman, very far from the classical ideal, is transformed into a monumental image of the winged Goddess of Fate, soaring over Germany.
In one hand the woman holds a precious golden phial, in the other - horse harness: objects hinting at the difference in the fate of people of different classes. It is characteristic that in ancient greek mythology Nemesis was the goddess of vengeance. The duties of the goddess included punishment for crimes, overseeing the fair and equal distribution of goods among mortals. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Nemesis was more considered an executor of fate.

The concept of “Melancholia” has not yet been revealed, but the image of a powerful winged woman impresses with its significance and psychological depth.
Melancholy is the embodiment of a supreme being, a genius endowed with intellect, possessing all the achievements of human thought of that time, striving to penetrate the secrets of the universe, but obsessed with doubts, anxiety, disappointment and melancholy that accompany creative quest.
“Melancholia” is one of the works that “stunned the whole world”
(Vasari).

Dürer painted portraits, laid the foundations of the German landscape, transformed traditional biblical and gospel stories, investing new things in them life content. Special attention The artist was attracted to engraving, first woodcut, and then copper engraving. Dürer expanded the themes of graphics, attracting literary, everyday, and mischievous genre subjects.

Men's sauna

1497. British Museum, London.

This work contains a complex interweaving of medieval views with religious traditions
The allegorical nature, symbolism of images, the intricacy of complex theological concepts, and mystical fiction are preserved from the Middle Ages; from the images of ancient religiosity - clashes of spiritual and material forces, a feeling of tension, struggle, confusion and humility.

Dürer did not have a large workshop with many students. His reliable students are unknown. Presumably, primarily three Nuremberg artists are associated with him - the brothers Hans Sebald (1500-1550) and Bartel (1502-1540) Beham and Georg Penz (c. 1500-1550), known mainly as masters of small format engravings (the so-called Kleinmeisters ; they also worked as painters). It is interesting to mention that in 1525 all three young masters were put on trial and expelled from Nuremberg for atheistic views and expressing revolutionary ideas.

Satyr family

1505 Art Institute, Chicago.

In the 1500s, a turning point occurred in Dürer's work. Pathos and drama early works replaced by balance and harmony. The role of calm storytelling, imbued with lyrical emotions, has increased
The picturesquely interpreted forest landscape organically includes figures of people and animals, embodying various symbols.

At the turn of the 1500s, Dürer made a number of engravings on copper and wood, in which the quest of the young master was clearly defined. These engravings, even in cases where they contain religious, mythological or allegorical subjects, primarily represent genre scenes with a pronounced local character.
Everywhere the person comes first, and everything else plays the role of his environment.

The engraving “Saint Jerome in his cell” reveals the ideal of a humanist who devoted himself to comprehending the highest truths. In solving the theme, in the everyday interpretation of the image of the scientist, the leading role is played by the interior, transformed by the artist into an emotional poetic environment. Figure of Jerome immersed in translations of the sacred books
Jerome's cell is not a gloomy refuge of an ascetic, but a modest room modern house. The everyday intimate democratic interpretation of the image of Jerome is given outside the official church interpretation, perhaps under the influence of the teachings of the reformers.

Wood engravings by Albrecht Durer from the cycle
“Apocalypse” or “Revelation of St. John the Theologian”,
1497-1498, Kunsthalle gallery, Karlsruhe.

Dürer's first major work was a series of large format woodcuts of fifteen sheets on the theme of the Apocalypse of St. John the Evangelist
This series by Dürer intertwined medieval religious views with alarming sentiments caused by modern social events of those days.

This engraving by Albrecht Durer according to summary Revelations of John the Theologian The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what was soon to happen. And He showed it by sending it through His Angel to His servant John

In allegorical scenes, Dürer introduced images of representatives of different classes of German society, living real people, filled with passionate and anxious feelings and active action. Especially stands out famous leaf with the image of four apocalyptic horsemen with a bow, sword, scales and pitchfork, who prostrated the people who fled from them - a peasant, a city dweller and an emperor. This image is clearly connected with Dürer’s contemporary life: there is no doubt that the four horsemen symbolize, in the artist’s mind, destructive forces - war, disease, divine justice and death, which do not spare anyone. ordinary people, nor the emperor.

The sheet “The Four Horsemen” emanates menacing pathos. In terms of the all-crushing power of impulse and gloomy expression, this composition has no equal in German art of that time. Death, judgment, war and pestilence rush furiously over the earth, destroying everything in its path.

Saint John and the Twenty-Four Elders in Heaven

The terrible scenes of death and punishment described in the Apocalypse acquired a topical meaning in pre-revolutionary Germany. Dürer introduced into his engravings many subtle observations of nature and life: architecture, costumes, types, landscapes of modern Germany.
The breadth of coverage of the world inherent in Dürer's engravings was not known German art 15th century; at the same time, in most of Dürer’s sheets lives the restless spirit of late German Gothic.

This engraving by Albrecht Durer is according to a summary of the Revelation of John the Evangelist

And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the word of God and for the testimony that they had.
10 And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord, Holy and True, do you not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
11 And white garments were given to each of them, and it was said to them that they should rest still for a little while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would be killed like them, would be completed.
12 And when He opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became dark as sackcloth, and the moon became like blood.
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, like a fig tree shaken strong wind, drops his unripe figs.
For the great day of His wrath has come, and who can stand?

1 And after this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel rising from the east of the sun, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying:
3 Do not harm the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

1 And when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for as it were half an hour.
2 And I saw seven angels standing before God; and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 And another angel came and stood before the altar, holding a golden censer; and a great deal of incense was given to him, so that with the prayers of all the saints he would place it on the golden altar, which was in front of the throne.
4 And the smoke of incense ascended with the prayers of the saints from the hand of an angel before God.
5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it to the earth: and there were voices, and thunder, and lightning, and an earthquake.
6 And the seven angels having seven trumpets prepared to sound.
Revelations of John the Theologian

1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star fall from heaven to earth, and the key of the deep pit was given to it.
2 She opened the pit of the deep, and smoke came out of the pit like smoke from a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the vault.
3 And out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power like the scorpions of the earth.
4 And she was told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only to people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5 And it was given to her not to kill them, but only to torment them for five months; and her torment is like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a person.
6 In those days people will seek death, but will not find it; they will wish to die, but death will flee from them.
Revelations of John the Theologian

Book of Revelation Given to Saint John

Kunsthalle, Karlsruhe, Germany.

8 And the voice that I heard from heaven began to speak to me again, and said: Go, take the open book from the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.
9 And I went to the Angel and said to him: Give me the book. He said to me: take it and eat it; she will be bitter in your belly, but in your mouth she will be sweet as honey.
10 And I took the book from the hand of the angel, and ate it; and she was as sweet as honey in my mouth; When I ate it, my stomach became bitter.
11 And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about peoples and nations and languages and many kings.”
Revelations of John the Theologian

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun; under her feet is the moon, and on her head is a crown of twelve stars.
2 She was with child, and cried out from the pains and pangs of birth.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
4 His tail drew a third of the stars from the sky and threw them to the ground. This dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he would devour her baby.
5 And she gave birth to a male child, who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and His throne.
6 But the woman fled into the wilderness, where a place had been prepared for her by God, that she might be fed there for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Revelations of John the Theologian

In the engraving “The Battle of the Archangel Michael with the Dragon,” the pathos of the fierce battle is emphasized by the contrasts of light and shadow, and the restless intermittent rhythm of the lines. In the heroic image of a young man with an inspired and determined face, in a sunlit landscape with its boundless expanses, faith in the victory of the bright principle is expressed.

1 And I looked, and behold, a Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him an hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpists playing their harps.
3 They sing as if new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn this song except these hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They are redeemed from among men, as the firstborn of God and the Lamb,
5 And in their mouth there is no guile; they are blameless before the throne of God.
6 And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people;
Revelations of John the Theologian

1 And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me, saying to me: Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters;
2 The kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and those who dwell on the earth became drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 And he led me in the spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, and had a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominations and the uncleanness of her fornication;
5 And on her forehead was written a name: mystery, Babylon the great, mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.
Revelations of John the Theologian

1 And I saw an angel descending from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2 He took the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,
3 And he cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and put a seal over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended; after this he should be released for a short time.
4 And I saw thrones and those sitting on them, to whom judgment had been given, and the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast nor his image, nor received the mark on their foreheads or on their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelations of John the Theologian

Engraving appeared in the 15th century, simultaneously with the printed book and great geographical discoveries. As a new form of art, accessible due to its low cost, engraving quickly gained popularity. It became the first illustration in the book, first in the form of a woodcut (woodcut) and then an engraving (on metal).

The subjects of the engraving are as diverse as life itself, and it strives to accommodate it in all its manifestations. Following traditional religious motifs, images of ancient mythology, views of distant countries, portraits of rulers, secular and religious figures, writers and artists, images of flora and fauna, fashionable pictures and calendars, maps, drawings, gardens and parks, famous ancient monuments appear in it.

On the one hand, the engraving is laconic, there is nothing superfluous here, everything is thought out to the smallest detail. On the other hand, the engravers' works are full of hints and allegories, everything has a metaphorical meaning, each object, in accordance with medieval tradition, corresponds to a certain concept.

We present to your attention the most famous engravers several eras and their most outstanding works.

Albrecht Durer (1471 - 1528)

Albrecht Dürer became famous at an early age for his engravings and is today considered the most famous of the Renaissance artists. There were 18 children in Albrecht's family; he was the third child and second son in the family. Dürer's father took him to his workshop to teach him how to work with gold, but the boy showed an aptitude for painting and therefore became an apprentice to the engraver Mikhail Wolgemut.

"Knight, Death and the Devil." 1513

Based on the symbolism of the objects surrounding the knight, we can say that he rather personifies a negative force and unites with the devil, rather than being his victim. Therefore, it is no coincidence that a fox’s tail is attached to the horseman’s peak, a sign of a robber knight. The image of a fox's tail was associated with the idea of lies, hypocrisy, and the desire to snatch one's share of earthly goods by cunning. The image of the dog is stated here as adherence to the devil, greed and envy. The lizard is a symbol of pretense, an evil demon. The skull is associated with death and original sin.

"Melancholy". 1514

Soviet art critic Ts. G. Nesselstraus analyzes this engraving as follows: “... in front of us is the seashore, the boundless expanse of water and the twilight sky, cut through by a rainbow and the ominous rays of a comet. In the foreground, surrounded by carpentry and construction tools scattered in disarray, sits A winged woman, resting her head in deep thought, has an open compass in her hand, a bunch of keys and a purse tied to her belt. A wooden ball lies on the ground nearby, and further away you can see a large stone polyhedron, from behind which a melting crucible peeks out.

Behind the woman, a gloomy boy climbed onto a millstone and with difficulty writes something on a tablet. A skinny dog curled up nearby. To the right, in the background, rises a stone building, perhaps unfinished, since a wooden staircase is leaning against it. On the walls of the building hang an hourglass, scales and a bell and a magic square is inscribed. In the sky, in the rays of a comet, a huge bat spread its wings. On the wings of the mouse there is an inscription: “Melancholy I” (...)

Immediately feeling that the winged woman is oppressed by doubts and dissatisfaction, the viewer, however, becomes stumped by the many hints scattered here. Why is Melancholia depicted as winged, which means her inactivity, what kind of boy is depicted behind, what is the meaning of the magic square, why are the tools scattered around?

"Saint Jerome in his cell." 1514

Saint Jerome works hard, pen in hand, head surrounded by radiance. On the table there is only a book stand, on it is the work of St. Jerome, a crucifix and an inkwell. In the foreground, a small dog and a formidable lion are sleeping peacefully - this is an obligatory part of the legend of Jerome the Blessed. The large number of details and their careful elaboration are amazing. The picture is full of small objects - symbols that catch the eye of the observer. There are more questions than answers, and this makes us think hard about a lot of things.

"Adam and Eve". 1504

The subject of the engraving is a classic representation of the biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It is believed that the prototype for the figures of Adam and Eve were drawings from the ancient statues of Apollo Belvedere and Venus of Medicea. Dürer left a full signature on the engraving, unlike his other engravings, which were only marked with a monogram.

"Walk". 1496

The plot of “The Walk,” at first glance, is simple: a young burgher couple in rich suits walks outside the city, with a rural landscape and a tree visible in the background. However, the deep philosophical meaning of the plot laid down by the author is in the image of Death with an hourglass above his head, peeking out from behind a tree. That is why the faces of young people are so thoughtful.
The bleak landscape, evoking hopeless melancholy, a bush of grass with sharp and dry leaves, bending limply in the wind, also takes on a special meaning. Everything reminds us of the temporality of existence. The village visible in the distance seems to be fenced off from the young couple by the figure of Death, instilling an acute feeling of loneliness and isolation from the world.

"The Abduction of Proserpina on a Unicorn." 1516

Proserpina, the daughter of the grain goddess Ceres, was collecting irises, roses, violets, hyacinths and daffodils in the meadow with her friends when she was noticed, inflamed with love, by Pluto, the king of the underworld. He rushed her away in a chariot, causing the abyss to open up in front of them and Proserpina was carried away to the underworld. Pluto was forced to let her go, but before that he gave her a pomegranate seed to taste so that she would not forget the kingdom of death and return to it. Since then, Proserpina spends half the year in the kingdom of the dead and half in the kingdom of the living.

"The Satyr's Family" 1504

The artist studied proportions and worked on the problem of depicting the naked body. In his works on mythological themes, Dürer sought to embody the classical ideal of beauty. The volume of the rounded, almost sculptural form is emphasized by circular strokes, as if sliding across the surface across the structure of the form. The picturesquely interpreted forest landscape organically includes figures of people and animals, embodying various symbols.

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720 - 1778)

And, no matter how terrifying it may sound, Piranesi's architectural ideas inspired the architects of totalitarian regimes, Mussolini's Italy, Stalin's Soviet Union and Hitler's Third Reich, and at the same time he became almost the favorite architect of postmodernism.

The engraver's most famous works are the "Dungeons" cycle and the "Roman Antiquities" cycle.

Cycle "Dungeons" (1749 - 1750)

"Dungeons" is much more expressive and feverish in design than other works by Piranesi of the same period. They are compared to delirium, a nightmare, a breakthrough of the subconscious. Columns lost in the darkness and height. Chains and rings for fastening fetters, embedded in walls and beams. Drawbridges hanging inside the building. Corridors with cameras running in different directions. Massive stones stacked into pylons and arches. Pedestrian bridges at a terrible height. Stairs that are intertwined and bend at unnatural angles. An infernal machine for depriving oneself of freedom, depicted with a drama that is excessive for an admirer of classical beauty. The works are performed with amazing precision and terrify the viewer, making them believe that all this really existed.

Cycle "Roman Antiquities" (1748-1788)

"Trevi Fountain". 1776

"View of the Ripa Grande pier." 1752

"View of the Ripetta pier." 1753

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525 - 1569)

"Alchemist". 1560s

"Fools and Clowns"

Gustave Doré (1832 - 1883)

Dore can rightly be called a colossus of illustration, because he seems to have interpreted all the masterpieces of world literature.

In addition to his talent in composition and drawing, Doré has that look that is inherent in poets who know the secrets of nature. When engraving began to become wildly popular with the public in the 1860s, every author who wrote a book wanted Doré to illustrate it. Every publisher who published a book sought to publish it with Doré's illustrations. The number of the engraver's drawings reached forty-four thousand by May 1862.

"Paradise Lost" 1866

One of Doré's illustrations for John Milton's poem Paradise Lost. This engraving depicts a fallen Angel expelled from Paradise for his pride.

"World Flood". 1866

One of the illustrations for " Divine Comedy"Dante.

Albrecht Durer is a famous German artist and engraver. Born in 1471 - died in 1528. We have already written about this artist in an article and virtual gallery. In this part we will dwell in more detail on the engravings of this wonderful artist. Despite the fact that it paintings are very professional, beautiful and almost priceless, they began to attach special importance to this artist precisely because of his unusual engravings. Engravings made by Durer an outstanding artist of all times.

As already mentioned, in 1495 Albrecht Dürer opened his own engraving workshop in Nuremberg. It was here that the most were born famous works, which are not only admired by connoisseurs of beauty all over the world, but which still haunt many mystical people. The first was “Four Witches”. It was she who came to Italy and so amazed the audience that Dürer gained fame throughout Europe. The last engraving by the German artist was “The Four Apostles” created in 1526.

A few words about technology: woodcuts, woodcuts, raised engraving in Dürer's era, it was a board made of pear wood or beech, on which an image was specially hollowed out and an imprint was obtained from it on a copper surface. First, the artist draws with a pen or pencil, and after that the carver (Albrecht Dürer had several carvers) cuts out the spaces between the lines with a knife or chisel. After this, an impression is made on another surface (on copper) from this board, resulting in a mirror image. It must be said that the artist himself never cut the boards, but only painted.

The popularity of his engravings was made not only by the originality and complexity of production, but also by the special mystical, religious meaning of the works. Many of them display biblical omens and descriptions of the End of the World and the Apocalypse. Dürer even released a whole series of similar works, which is called: “ Apocalypse in faces". Death, hell, the torment of sinners, demons, the Devil, angels... Perhaps that is why they occupied and continue to occupy the minds of people so much, even those far from the art of engraving. Well, and, of course, the genius of the works, the unusual, unique at that time way of creating engravings, an improved method that helps convey not only images and mood, but even chiaroscuro.

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Angel with the key to hell