The Making of Armours, from Hymmelwagen auff dem, wer wol lebt...

Art Historical Context

Step into the bustling workshop of Germany with *The Making of Armours*, a lively 1517 woodcut from the illustrated book *Hymmelwagen auff dem, wer lebt...* (Heavenly Chariot for Those Who Live Well). Created by Hans Schäufelein—a master woodcut artist and pupil of Albrecht Dür—alongside Hans von Leonrodt and by Silvan Otmar this petite print (just 4 3/8 × 4 1/16 inches) captures the intricate labor of armor production. Schäufele's precise line work, typical of Northern Renaissance prints, brings to life hammers striking metal, forges glowing, and workers in period garb. The scene buzzes with activity: men and women collaboratively crafting suits of armor, from helmets to breastplates, reflecting the era's demand for protective gear amid knights' tournaments, wars, and chivalric culture under Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Woodcuts like this were revolutionary for their affordability, spreading vivid depictions of daily trades through books and broadsheets, democratizing art beyond elite patrons. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Purchase, Anne and Carl Stern Gift, 1959), this print offers a window into 16th-century craftsmanship and social dynamics, where women shared in skilled labor. It's a testament to how printmaking preserved the grit and glory of pre-industrial workshops.

About the Artist

Hans Schäufelein|Hans von Leonrodt|Silvan Otmar · 1480–1540

Hans Schäufelein (c. 1480–c. 1540) was a German painter and graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance whose career placed him at the heart of one of the most dynamic artistic environments in European history. As a young man, he entered the workshop of Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg, an experience that proved decisive: Dürer's meticulous approach to draughtsmanship, his mastery of printmaking, and hi...