440 ENGRAVING. 



SECTION VII. 



Engraving. 



THIS curious and valuable art is for the most part of modern 

 Invention, having its rise no -;irlier than the middle of the fifteenth 

 century. The ancients, ind-od, practised engraving on precious 

 stones and crystals with very good success; and there are still 

 many of their vvorks remaining equal to any production of the lul< i 

 ages. But the art of engraving on plates and blocks of wood, to 

 afford prints or impressions, was not known till alter the intention 

 of painting in oil. Of these last, the most ancient mode is that on 

 wood, the first impressions on paper having been taken from carved 

 wooden*blocks, For this invention we are indebted to the brief- 

 malers, or makers of playing cards, who practised the art in Ger- 

 many about the beginning of the fifteenth century. From the 

 same source mav perhaps be traced the first idea of moveable types, 

 which appeared not Ion?, after ; for these brief.malers ilid not en. 

 tirely connu tlumselves to the printing and painting of cards, but 

 produced also subjects of a more devout nature ; mam of which, 

 takt n from lioiy writ, are still preserved in (German libraries, with 

 the explanatory t"\t facing the figures, tue whole engraved in wood. 

 Thus a species ot books was formed ; such as, Historia Sancti Jo- 

 hannis, ejusque Visiones Aporaiypticae ; Historia Veteris et Novi 

 Testament!, knovn by the name of the Poor Man's Bible. These 

 short mementos were printed only on one side ; aiul two of them 

 being pasted together, h >d the appearance of a single leaf. The 

 earliest date on any of these wooden cuts in 1423. The subject 

 is St. Christopher carrying the infant Jesus over the sea, pre, 

 served in a convent at Buxheim near Menningen. It is of a folio 

 size, illuminated in the same manner as the playing cards; and at 

 the bottom is this inscription, 



" Cristoferi faciem die quacunque tuerjs. 

 Ilia nerope die morte mala non morieris. 

 Millesimo CCCC XX tertio." 



Upon the invention of moveable types that branch of (he brief, 

 malers business, so far as it regarded the making of books, was 

 gradually discontinued; but tin art itself of engraving on wood 

 continued in an improving state ; and towards tin.- end of the fif- 



