A Brief History of Wood-engraving From Its InventionCundall, Joseph
History
A Brief History of Wood-engraving From Its Invention
Cundall, Joseph
Wood-engraving -- History
{95} Another celebrated printer who enjoyed the patronage of the King was
Robert Estienne, who, by some curious perversity, is frequently spoken of
by English scholars and biographers as Robert Stephens, simply because,
following the fashion of the day, he often latinised his name and signed
Robertus Stephanus. Estienne was, next to Aldo Manuzio of Venice, the most
learned of printers, and deserves to be held in due reverence. The most
important illustrated book he published was 'The Lives of the Dukes of
Milan,' by Paulus Jovius (Paris, 1549). This work has sixteen portraits of
the Dukes, well engraved, some say by Geoffroy Tory himself, but this is a
matter of dispute, though they certainly were cut in his workshop.
Among the most characteristic works of the wood-engraver in the middle of
the century were two large processions, 'The Triumphal Entry of King Henri
II. into Paris,' published by Roville of Lyons, in 1548, and 'The Triumphal
Entry into Lyons,' issued in the following year. These prints were designed
either by Jean Cousin or Cornelis de la Haye, but the name of the engraver
is nowhere mentioned. They are somewhat similar to 'The Triumph of
Maximilian,' by Burgkmair, but are not nearly so important as works of art,
and did nothing to raise the character of wood-engraving.
In the books published in the second half of the century we frequently meet
with the name of Bernhard Salomon (born at Lyons in 1512), generally called
Le Petit Bernard, who made designs for Alciat's 'Emblems' (A.D. 1560) and
Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' (A.D. 1564), which were engraved in the workshop of
Geoffroy Tory, and published by Jean (or Hans) de Tournes, of Lyons.
Bernard's style was much influenced by the Italian painters Rosso and
Primaticcio, who had been invited by the King to decorate Fontainebleau,
and may be easily recognised by the extreme height and tenuity of his
figures, and by the peculiar ornament which he used as framework for his
drawings.
Another book containing equally good illustrations is _Ghesneden Figuera
wyten Niewen Testamente_ ('Engraved Figures from the New Testament'),
adorned with ninety-two small cuts besides the title-page and initial
letters; these were drawn and probably engraved by Guilliame Borluyt, {96}
citizen of Ghent, and published by Jean de Tournes of Lyons in 1557. From
the fineness of the lines and other indications we suspect these designs
were cut on metal, which was much used at this time instead of wood.
Through the kindness of Messrs. H. S. Nichols & Co., of Soho Square, who
possess an excellent copy of this very rare book, we are enabled to offer
our readers two cuts, 'The Woman of Samaria' and 'Christ Scourged,' of the
same size as the originals. The publishers of Lyons were celebrated from
the end of the fourteenth to the middle of the fifteenth century for their
dainty little books, which were very prettily illustrated.
[Illustration: CHRIST AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA
_By Guilliame Borluyt_]
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