Cain Killing Abel

Cain Killing Abel is Gossaert's largest and most striking printed image. Cain, grasping the jawbone of an ass, raises his right arm as he aims at Abel's writhing head, which he attempts to steady by plunging his fingers into his victim's mouth. While Gossaert produced his own engravings and etchings, it is unlikely that he actually cut the block for this print himself. Instead, he probably drew the design on the surface of the block, which was carved by a skilled cutter. This craftsman captured Gossaert's energetic cross-hatching on the bodies of the two figures and produced the thick locks of... Mehr ...