Landsknecht Woodcuts: Kriegsvolker im Zeitalter der Landsknechte

In print for the first time since 1883, this edition of Kriegsvolker is designed to allow easy access to 150 woodcuts depicting Landsknecht soldiers, officers and their ladies. Many of the woodcuts found in this edition are not available in other sources, including the German Single-leaf Woodcuts 1500-1550, and I am excited to put a copy of these woodcuts into your hands. Kriegsvolker contains three distinct books, each containing 50 woodcuts: Part I - Deutsche Kriegsleute von Nicolaus Meldemann und Hans Guldenmundt, 1530 Deutsche Kriegsleute was published by Nicolaus Meldemann and Hans Guldenmundt between 1520 and 1530 in Nuremberg. However, based on the clothing styles, the date is closer to 1530, after the Italian Wars and the Turkish siege of Vienna in 1529. Part II – Landsknecht von David de Necker, 1560’s While this book of 50 woodcuts was published in the 1560’s by David de Necker (or Negkar), the woodcuts actually date from 1520-30. They were cut by his father, Jost de Negker from the artist’s drawings. Part III Kreigsbuch des Grafen Reinhart zu Solms, 1559 Reinhart Graf zu Solms, 1491-1562, was a military theorist and Imperial field marshal during the Schmalkaldic War of 1546-47. Starting in the 1530’s, he published several books on military theory, tactics and fortification design. These 50 woodcuts come from his Kreigsbuch, or War Book, published in 1559. The woodcuts are in two sections: III.1-III.23 are depictions of Landsknecht during the early part of Graf Reinhard’s career as a knight. III.24-III.50 depict the soldiers and officers of the Imperial forces which fought in the Schmalkaldic War.