Title Page

The Title Page is a significant woodcut created by the German master Albrecht Dürer in 1498. Executed in the medium of woodcut on laid paper, this work exemplifies the rapid technological and artistic development occurring in printmaking at the close of the fifteenth century.

The utilization of woodcut on laid paper underscores the technical mastery Dürer brought to the medium. Unlike many contemporary craftsmen, Dürer personally oversaw or executed the block carving, pushing the limits of the medium to achieve unprecedented detail and tonal variation within the demanding constraints of the relief process. This work originated in a period spanning 1401 to 1500, marking the apex of late Gothic aesthetics and the incorporation of nascent Renaissance elements into German artistic traditions.

As a title page, the composition functions primarily as an introductory piece, likely incorporating intricate typography and ornamental framing designed to preface a larger, potentially narrative, sequence of prints or a printed volume. It serves as a declarative statement, setting the visual tone and professional standard for the complete publication, which was essential for an independent, commercially successful artist like Dürer. The widespread circulation of such prints significantly increased the accessibility of complex imagery and elevated Dürer’s reputation internationally, transitioning the role of prints from mere illustrations to major works of art.

This piece is a crucial anchor in the study of early modern graphic arts, illustrating the commercial viability and artistic potential Dürer recognized in reproductive media. Such early prints, frequently now considered part of the public domain due to their age, continue to inform scholarship on the period. This particular work is preserved within the distinguished collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it demonstrates Dürer’s profound and lasting influence on European visual culture.