Artwork
Letter V
Letter V is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hans Lützelburger. It dates from 1523 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1523, the woodcut titled *Letter V* is a black‑and‑white print that showcases a large, stylized V filled with a densely packed interior scene. The composition is executed in the crisp, high‑contrast manner typical of early sixteenth‑century German block printing, where the carved surface transfers ink in a single, bold impression.
Subject & Meaning
Within the V’s interior, two figures stand back‑to‑back, each grasping a long staff. One bears curly hair and draped garments, while the other turns away, its face obscured. Surrounding them are swirling motifs that suggest clouds or waves, punctuated by tiny human and animal forms. The narrative intent remains ambiguous, inviting viewers to infer a symbolic or allegorical reading.
Technique & Style
The print reflects the precise incising skills of a master blockcutter. Fine, clean lines define the figures and decorative elements, while large areas of flat black create a stamp‑like effect. The artist maximized detail within a limited space by employing strong outlines and simplified shapes, a hallmark of German woodcut practice in the early Reformation period.
History & Provenance
The work is attributed to Hans Lützelburger, a German cutter active in Augsburg from about 1516. Lützelburger is best known for cutting the blocks of Hans Holbein the Younger’s *Dance of Death* series, a project he could not finish before his death in 1526. *Letter V* therefore represents one of his later independent prints, dating from the final years of his career.
Context
Produced in the vibrant print culture of early sixteenth‑century Augsburg, the piece aligns with the era’s fascination with typographic motifs and allegorical imagery. Woodcut was the dominant medium for disseminating both religious and secular ideas, and Lützelburger’s work contributed to the visual vocabulary that circulated among scholars, merchants, and craftsmen.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hans Lützelburger (died June 1526), also known as Hans Franck, was a German blockcutter ("formschneider") for woodcuts, regarded as one of the finest of his day.
