The history of the wood engraving – Iστορία της ξυλογραφίας

For my friends Derrick and Jackie

derrickjknight

https://derrickjknight.com/2019/04/09/stories/

The history of the medium of wood engraving evolved from the oldest printing technique, woodcut—which, in Western culture, goes back to the fifteenth century. A wood block is cut from a smoothed plank cut longitudinally from the tree trunk so that the grain runs in parallel lines to the block.

Once the design has been established by cutting away the wood around the areas that will be printed, the block is inked with a small roller called a brayer. To print the block, a moistened piece of paper is placed on top of the block, along with a protective layer, called the tympan, and then put through the printing press. Alternately, a circular tool called a baren or even a spoon or the palm of the hand can be used to create enough pressure to print the inked block.

“The Perfect World” By Kahlil Gibran

God of lost souls, thou who are lost amongst the gods, hear me:

Gentle Destiny that watchest over us, mad, wandering spirits, hear me:

I dwell in the midst of a perfect race, I the most imperfect.

I, a human chaos, a nebula of confused elements, I move amongst finished worlds—peoples of complete laws and pure order, whose thoughts are assorted, whose dreams are arranged, and whose visions are enrolled and registered.

Aleijadinho “the little cripple”

Ouro Preto, Brazil

Museu do Aleijadinho

A display of works by one of the world masters sacred art, an 18th-century Brazilian sculptor nicknamed “the little cripple.”

Sacred art will gain a whole new meaning when you have the chance to experience the work of Aleijadinho, a master baroque sculptor and icon of Brazilian art. Despite losing the use of his fingers, Aleijadinho’s paintings, statues, carvings, and sculptures are works of mastery and wonder, a testimony to the power of will and devotion.

Oedipus and the Sphinx

Oedipus and the Sphinx

is an 1864 oil on canvas painting by Gustave Moreau that was first exhibited at the French Salon of 1864 where it was an immediate success. It is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.The work was a fresh treatment of the established subject of the meeting between Oedipus and the Sphinx on the road to Delphi, notably portrayed at Sophocles‘ play Oedipus Rex.

The painting depicts Oedipus meeting the Sphinx at the crossroads on his journey between Thebes and Delphi.