Approximately 1,500 prints are attributed to the Swiss-German artist Jost Amman, an illustrator and engraver whose output defined late sixteenth-century book production. Born in Zurich in 1539 to a professor of Classics and Logic, Amman became a master of the woodcut medium during a transitional era when copperplate engraving began to supersede traditional block printing methods in European publishing.
Professional Relocation and Early Training
In 1560, Amman departed Zurich for Nuremberg, the city where he would maintain his residence and workshop until his death. Upon arrival, he initially collaborated with Virgil Solis, a prominent specialist in book illustration. Amman eventually attained Nuremberg citizenship, establishing himself as a versatile practitioner in painting, stained-glass design, and graphic art. While he remained primarily identified with the Reformed religion, his technical proficiency earned him significant commissions within the evolving German printing trade.
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The sheer volume of Amman's production was considerable; accounts from his own students suggest his drawings over a four-year span could occupy a hay wagon. While standard practice for woodcut artists involved employing a professional formschneider to carve their designs into blocks, Amman occasionally utilized a signature containing both a quill and a cutter’s knife. This detail implies he possessed the expertise to cut his own printing blocks when necessary. His surviving original drawings are currently held in the Berlin print room.
Major Published Projects
Amman provided the illustrations for several notable sixteenth-century works, including Wenzel Jamnitzer's 1568 volume, Perspectiva corporum regularium. His portfolio featured 115 plates for the Panoplia Omnium Liberalium Mechanicarum et Sedentariarum Artium, a comprehensive survey of crafts. He also produced engravings depicting the kings of France in 1576 and contributed to the topographical surveys authored by Philipp Apian. Although historical records attribute oil paintings and glass art to him, no specific examples of these works have been confirmed.
Fast facts
- Born: 1539, Zurich
- Died: 1591, Nuremberg
- Primary Occupations: engraver, artist, illustrator, painter
- Citizenship: Switzerland and Germany
- Notable 1568 Publication: Panoplia Omnium Liberalium
- Known Prints: Approximately 1,500 attributed works
- Collaborator: Virgil Solis
Questions readers ask
Did Jost Amman only work with woodcuts?
No, while he was primarily a woodcut artist, he was also a painter, stained-glass artist, and graphic artist.
Where are his original drawings kept?
A large number of his original drawings are located in the Berlin print room.