Artwork

The Way of Salvation

The Way of Salvation, by German 15th Century, ink, 1490
The Way of Salvation, by German 15th Century, ink, 1490

The Way of Salvation is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1490 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The Way of Salvation is a hand-colored woodcut print that combines natural imagery with written text to convey a religious message.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a tree growing from a red block inscribed with German words related to faith, surrounded by flowers, birds, and an angel holding a banner. The tree's roots entwine a scroll with additional text, symbolizing the connection between nature and spiritual concepts.

Technique & Style

Created using the woodcut technique, the print was colored by hand in various hues. The style, which blends natural and textual elements, was commonly used in religious art to convey complex ideas in an accessible manner.

Artist & collection

Portrait of German 15th Century

Artist

German 15th Century

This 15th-century German artist carved vivid religious scenes into metal and wood, then hand-painted them in bright, symbolic colors.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.