Jost Amman

Background

Amman was born on June 13, 1539 in Zürich. He was the son of a professor of Classics and Logic.

Education

Amman was himself well-educated.

Career

Little of his personal history is known beyond the fact that he moved to Nuremberg in 1560, where took on citizenship and continued to reside until his death in March 1591.

Jost Amman worked initially with Virgil Solis, then a leading producer of book illustrations. His productivity was very remarkable, as may be gathered from the statement of one of his pupils, who said that the drawings he made during a period of four years would have filled a hay wagon. A large number of his original drawings are in the Berlin print room. About 1, 500 prints are attributed to him. He was one of the last major producers of woodcuts for books, as during his career engravings were gradually taking over that role. Although like most woodcut artists, he normally let a specialist formschneider cut the block to his drawing, he occasionally included both a cutter's knife and a quill pen in his signature on prints, suggesting he sometimes cut his own blocks.

A series of engravings by Amman of the kings of France, with short biographies, appeared in Frankfurt in 1576. He also executed many of the woodcut illustrations for the Bible published at Frankfurt by Sigismund Feierabend, and for a topographical survey of Bavaria by Philipp Apian.

Another serial work, the Panoplia Omnium Liberalium Mechanicarum et Seden-tariarum Artium Genera Continens, containing 115 plates, is of great value. Amman's drawing is correct and spirited, and his delineation of the details of costume is minute and accurate. Paintings in oil and on glass are attributed to him, but none have been identified.

Amman died in Nuremberg, Bavaria, aged 51.

Achievements

• Jost Amman was a painter and printmaker, one of the most prolific and skilled book illustrators of the 16th century, celebrated chiefly for his woodcuts, done mainly for book illustrations.

Works

More photos

• book

  • An Officer of the Rank of 'Oberster Feldprofoss' in the Imperial Army by Jost Amman Framed Art Print Wall Picture, Flat Silver Frame, 19 x 24 inches

    (An Officer of the Rank of 'Oberster Feldprofoss' in the I...)

  • Antique Master Print-SOLDIER-HORN-BANNER-HORSE-DOG-Jost Amman-1573

    (Description: From: Leonhard Fronsperger's 'Kriegsbuch', p...)

  • Vintage Delft Blue Holland Pharmacist Dentist 6 by 6 Inch Jost Amman Porcelain Wall Tile Plaque
  • Classic Art Poster - Portrait of Wenzel Jamnitzer, busy with perspective calculations, Jost Amman, c. 1561 - 1591 9" x 13"
  • Classic Art Poster - Portrait of Gaspar de Coligny, Jost Amman, 1573 17" x 22"
  • historic pictoric Art Print The Apotheosis of Emperor Maximilian II | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 16th century | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Reproduction
  • Book Print Perspectiva Corporum Regularium | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1568 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Print Reproduction
  • Art Print Judith, from Celebrated Women of the Old Testament | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1568–96 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Reproduction
  • Drawings Ornament & Architecture Design for a Large Goblet | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: Circa 1570 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Print Reproduction
  • Drawing The Penitent St. Jerome | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1539–91 | Antique Fine Art Reproduction
  • Music Iconography Amman, Jost. (1539 - 1591): Trio of Musicians
  • historic pictoric Drawing Standing Soldier | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1550–91 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Print Reproduction
  • Jost Amman's Renaissance Woodcuts CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art)
  • Drawing Three Scenes from the Life of the Prophet Daniel | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1564 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Print Reproduction
  • historic pictoric Drawing Mars and Pomona | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1539–91 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Print Reproduction
  • Classic Art Poster - N. Largillierre, Jost Amman, 1549 - 1591 13" x 19"
  • Drawing "Recto: Diana Resting with Her Hounds; Verso: Flora Seated by a Vase with Two Harks on the Ground, after Jost Amman" | Artist: Hermann Weyer| Created: 1607 | Fine Art Print Reproduction
  • historic pictoric Book Print Biblia ad vetustissima exemplaria nunc recens castigata | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1566 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Print Reproduction
  • Art Print The Young Painter and Young Goldsmith, from The Duels of the Workmen | Artist: Jost Amman| Created: 1588 | Antique Vintage Fine Art Poster Reproduction

References

• Jost Amman, 1539-1591;: Graphiker und Buchillustrator der Renaissance (Scripta artis monographia, 5) (German Edition)