Baltimore Books Arts Exhibit

from the rest of the activity. The attention to detail becomes even more evident. His works achieve a greater range of tones, accomplished by a greater ability in varying the width of his lines. This is very important in a woodcut, as there exist only two tones: black and white. The more finely carved, the more variation can be achieved in tone from light to dark, giving impressions of shadow, light, volume, and depth. No artist before or since has achieved this level of mastery over the woodcut. At this point in book history, during the 1500s, woodcuts have become beautiful and independent works of art of their own merit. They do not depend on the text to explain or validate their inclusion in books. Thus did Dürer transform the art of the woodcut, ensuring its place as an independent art form.

Summary

Early books were for the rich and successful, used as status symbols of wealth and social standing. As books became cheaper and more easily made, they were widely available to the average person. It followed that information and knowledge became more widely and easily accessible. The explosion of books coincided with overwhelming progress in science, culture, the arts. Gutenberg’s printing press started a revolutionary information age. The curator for the Book Arts exhibit, acknowledging today’s predominance of the computer, states in the guidebook, “Writing in the year 2000 it seems safe to assume that the era of the book as the preferred medium for the transmission of knowledge is nearly over.” After viewing the beauty and irreplaceable value of the work on display at the Book Arts exhibit, one can only hope this is not the case.

Resources:
Nativity (image): http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pimage?6761+0...
The Annunciation (image): http://sunsite.dk/cgfa/durer/p-durer43.h...
Birth of the Virgin (image): http://www.hol.gr/cgfa/durer/p-durer6.htm
The Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seals (image): http://camel.conncoll.edu/visual/images-...
The Angel with the Key to the Bottomless Pit (image): http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/dur...
Baltimore Museum of Art: http://www.artbma.org
The Walters Art Gallery: http://www.thewalters.org

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