LECTURE ON ART

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 262, 1 August 1933, Page 5

LECTURE ON ART

Production of Woodcuts

“Woodcuts” was the .title of the fourth lecture on art given by Mr. E. C. Simpson, under the auspices of the National Council of Women.

After dealing briefly with the processes involved in the production of woodcuts, Mr. Simpson turned to the origin and use of the woodcut in very early times. It became the accepted usage for the pilgrim to bring back some memento from the shrine visited, and this demand gave rise to the production of prints from woodcuts as a means of supplying pictures of sacred subjects cheaply, and in large enough quantities, he said. The earliest dated specimen of such work was the famous print of St. Christopher, done in 1423. The instinct for beauty and expressive line often shown in the early prints declared their kinshop with modern art. A very fine example of the dotted style of print was shown, the lecturer ’explaining that this work was done by. the goldsmith. Prints used by Wynkyu de Worde, Caxton’s foreman and successor, were interesting, it being explained that in the earliest days of printing the body of the matter was printed with spaces left for the work of the illuminator, but later the ornamental capitals were supplied by the use of woodcuts.

Interesting examples were shown of the‘work of Durer, Holbein, Cranach, and, coming to the moderns, of Giboings, Devain, Daglish, Nevinson, and many others with reference to the special characteristics of the work of each artist. The appreciation of the audience was shown by the interest with which the many examples of ancient and modern woodcuts were examined and discussed at the conclusion of the lecture.