Marion McNealy

Landsknechts on Campaign: Battle and Siege Scenes in Detail from Geisberg's German Single Sheet Woodcuts - Selections from Geisberg's German Woodcuts Marion McNealy

The wars of the 16th century were different from the isolated conflicts of the 15th century, spanning the continent and engaging many different parties at the same time. Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V were challenged on many fronts, externally by the Swiss, French, and Ottoman Turks, along with internal conflicts between the German princes and their people. It was a time of uprisings and invasions, of broken treaties and of instability, religious reformation and rebellions. Some of these conflicts were recorded in woodcut form, and published shortly after they happened. These woodcuts show the Landsknecht and their opponents in action, instead the more commonly seen individual depictions. The book contains scenes from the battles and sieges depicted in the German single sheet woodcuts: Pavia, Vienna, Budapest, and Münster... these along with many others, are all presented as a whole, then each individual plate, and pages of details, magnified for better viewing. There is also a brief description of the battle, and an explanation of the scenes in the woodcuts.