Printmaking theory from the beginning of printmaking until its establishment within the academic arts in the 18th. century

• Applicant: Dr. Barbara Stoltz
• Subject Area: Art History
• Term: from 2009 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 144119232

The project analyzes the theory of the printed image from the beginning of this medium in the 15th century until its establishment within the academic arts in the 18th century. On the assumption that the printmaking theory was always a part of the art theory in the early modern era, that means before printmaking became an academic artistic profession, the project analyzes for the first time extensively within the early modern treatises the main statements about printmaking. With that the project assembles an anthology of the most important texts about printmaking and with this anthology the project answers to the main question: what kind of theory of printmaking was created before the 18th century and what functions did it have. The bottom line in analyzing the texts about printmaking consists in three main issues: general art concepts like invention, imitation etc., art critics and the discussion of technical problems of the printmaking. During the project it was possible to enlarge the number of texts on printmaking. Now, this texts are to be analyze extensively. The new sources demand also a deep discussion about the selection of the texts for the anthology in this project and a general discussion about the categories of texts and sources about arts. This is to be done in the prolongation phase of the project. The second part of the project deals directly with the printed images. A selection of prints is to be analyze, in order to understand better the theory of printmaking before the 18th century. The project focuses works, that figures theoretical problems. The aim is to verify and to exemplify, how the concepts of the printed image, written in the texts about printmaking, can be comprehended. The first results of the project, from the analysis of texts and the printed images, show that the technical aspects of printmaking are more influential to the printmaking theory, then it was assumed at the beginning of the project. Therefore it is necessary to analyze more deeply the significance of the printmaking techniques like engraving etc. and above all to examine, how the texts on art deal with the innovations of the printmaking. Consequently further printed images are going to be analyze in the prolongation period of the project, for instances images made by special, uncommon techniques. The results of the project verify the hypothesis, that the theory of printmaking considers the concept of the picture and the theory of arts in general. Therefore the analysis of the printmaking theory means also a revision of the history of the art theory. The project focuses the main centers of printmaking, this is: Italy, Netherlands, France and Germany.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants