main printed feature: woodcut

Woodcuts are illustrations printed by carving away areas from a block of wood, leaving the areas standing in relief to print when the block is inked. They were used throughout the hand-press period, and range in artistic quality to crude to elegant.

Securis, A newe almanacke, 1571 (A2v-A3r)

Almanacs often included charts of the human body and indications of which astrological signs ruled which parts. This opening also includes information about propitious times of the year for things not only having to do with the body (bathing, stopping colds) but with planting.

Slovacius, Allmanach, 1580

This almanac was printed as a single sheet; the damaged sections running across the sheet suggest that it was stored folded for a long period of time, probably helping ensure its survival.

Tabulae abcdariae pueriles, 1544 (recto)

Children were often taught to read by printed examples of the alphabet and the Lord's Prayer. This sheet is one of the earliest surviving lessons (probably because, as its appearance suggests, it was never used). Although there is no imprint statement on the sheet, the blocks used in the border were also used by Valentin Bapst in the late 1540s, suggesting that he is this work's printer as well.

Whitney, Choice of emblemes, 1586 (D2v)

Whitney's book of emblems brought the popular European tradition to English readers. The mise-en-page follows the pattern of many of the early editions of Alciati's Emblemata, expanding the original design of emblem, title, and a brief epigraph to include commentary and references.

woodblock, Agrostemma githago (recto)

This woodblock was used to print illustrations of the corn-cockle in a long list of herbals, starting with its appearance in Rembert Dodoens's 1568 Florum and continuing through the 17th century. The Museum Plantin-Moretus's catalog record for the block lists books in which it appears, a few of which appear on this site and can be found by searching for

woodblock, Agrostemma githago (verso)

At some point in its history as part of the Plantin Moretus press, a paper label was affixed to the back of this woodblock in order to identify it.

Zumárraga, Doctrina breve, 1544 (a1r)

This title page uses woodcut blocks and pieces of type to create decorative borders surrounding the text presenting the work's title and imprint. Doctrina breve is the first complete work printed in North America, and was printed using type, blocks, and press were brought over to Mexico City from Spain.