Johann Theodor de Bry

German, 1561–1623

Death placeFrankfurt am Main, Germany

Birth placeLiège, Belgium

BiographyRijksmuseum:
Johann Theodor de Bry was born in Liège in 1561, the eldest son of the engraver and publisher Theodor de Bry. It was from his father that Johann learned his craft, producing both engravings
Engraving
Engraving is the earliest form of print making. A copperplate engraving is made by scratching the design onto the copper with a burin - a steel needle with a wooden handle. The engraver works away from the body, producing regular lines ending in a characteristic point. Ink applied to the copperplate enters the incised lines and is transferred to the paper with a press - the deeper the cut, the darker the line. Hatching and cross-hatching are used to create halftones and shadows. A single engraving can be use for some 300 high-quality and 300 reasonable prints. After that, the copper plate becomes too worn. and etchings
Etching
An etching is in fact a print of a design etched into a metal plate. This is obtained as follows. A smooth metal plate (usually copper) is coated with etching-ground, an acid-resistant mixture of wax, resin and asphalt. The design is scratched into this coating with a needle, exposing the metal beneath. The plate is then immersed in an acid bath, in which the mordant bites into the exposed metal, etching in the lines of the design. The finished plate is then coated with ink, which fills the lines. By pressing the plate onto a surface, the design is transferred. A single plate can be used for between 50 and 200 prints. The earliest etching in existence dates from 1513.. In 1588, after a spell of roving around Europe, the Lutheran
Lutheranism
A branch of Christianity taking its name from Martin Luther (1483-1546), a German theologian who challenged the authority of Rome. For Luther, the Bible was the sole basis of faith. His open dissent led to a break with the Catholic Church. This was the trigger that started the Reformation. After the initial confrontation with the established faith, Lutheranism developed within the divided Reformation movement as a separate Church. De Bry family settled in Frankfurt am Main, a safe haven for Lutherans at this time of religious discord. Together with his father and brother (Johann Israël de Bry), Johann published two popular emblem books. He also produced engravings from celebrated contemporary painters. De Bry died in Frankfurt in 1623.

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