Saint George with the Princess and the Slain Dragon

1508

This scene of Saint George and the dragon is the earliest known chiaroscuro woodcut. The design in black is printed with a line block, and the green areas with a tone block in which the light passages have been cut out. This spectacular print was signed by Hans Burgkmair from Augsburg and the block-cutter Jost de Negker from Antwerp. Which of the two artists conceived the idea of using a tone block is unknown.