Solis Virgo

Virgo Solis (1514-1562). Perhaps in no other country and in any era of printed graphics did not play such an important role, as in Germany XVI century. This century has given the world many famous names engravers. Among them - Virga Solis, master engraving burin, on wood and on copper, designer, miniaturist, possibly also the author of paintings.

Solis worked mainly in Nuremberg, a city where the art of engraving was raised to the highest level of A. Durer, and belonged to that galaxy of great masters of Nuremberg, who continued the tradition and maintain dyurerovskuyu. Solis has worked in other major centers - Zurich, Augsburg. There is an assumption that he. obeying the general at that time interest in Italian art, visited Rome. At least in some of his prints are Italian motifs, especially in the ornament.

A lot of the creative forces of the master gave the registration books. Illustrations of the so-called Lutheran Bible became the top creative Solis. The book was published at the end of life Solis, and later was reprinted. For the first time to translate the Bible into German (and thus playing an important role in shaping the literary German), Martin Luther wanted to make it accessible not only to the clergy, but to everyone who can read. Solis and illustrations perfectly match this problem mass. It treats episodes of sacred history as a popular genre scenes. Engineering design is also the highest skill. Engraver displays pain-thuja ingenuity in the transfer of landscape and architecture, skill and taste in the depiction of drapery. Solis skillfully uses a large white surfaces, contrasts of light and dark. Master of his life he worked simultaneously in different techniques that mutually enrich their. Woodcut in the Lutheran Bible fulfilled strictly and clearly, they give a hand engraver, accustomed to the burin, a needle - the tools with which marks engraved on the metal.

. Books, decorated Solis, as in a mirror, reflects the vibrant and challenging era in which he lived and worked for this master
. On the one hand, it is translated into the native language of the Bible, reflecting the ideas of the Reformation, on the other - Ovid, Virgil, "Fables" of Aesop, showing keen interest to the ancient heritage, typical of the Renaissance.

. In addition to book design, Solis served a series of engravings, as well as individual prints
. Terms of subjects and topics that are accessed with the master is huge. Solis imitated ancient heroes and Roman emperors, popular in those days allegory ( "The Seasons", "Months", "Temperaments," Free Art ") and genre scenes (most often - from the military life), architectural ruins, jesters and comedians. In addition, he was an excellent portraitist, has left a number of precise and objective image of the German nobility and even decorated playing cards.

. As was customary at the engravers of the era, Solis copied the works of other masters
. He copied the famous "Great Passion" Durer. He had prints made by other people's drawings, he often uses individual motifs taken from other artists. But everything is subordinated to his surprisingly lively and bright personality.

Solis takes particular ingenuity in ornaments. His designs in the Lutheran Bible (field, initials, etc.) became the basis of the Nuremberg Book ornamentation.

Solis invent ornamental friezes for cups and bowls and hilts of swords and daggers, for engraving on hunting horns. These intricate patterns woven into human figures, lizards, snakes, frogs, grasshoppers, a variety of fantastic animals. The lines in his round, seem lengthy, they have ta juiciness and full, which is a characteristic feature of Renaissance art. Special demand for ornaments Solis appeared in 1540-1550's, when art finally win new tastes.

Initially, all the work on the execution of engraving Solis did himself. Later, with increasing number of orders, the need of assistants. Solis became the head of a vast studio, where he worked with him his sons, later to continue his work. So monogram Solis in the engraving is not so much his personal signature as a sign shop. Nevertheless, in connection with himself Virgil Solis can say with certainty not only about the lively imagination and versatility, but also rare fertility. Is now known for more than two thousand graphic works that have emerged from the workshop Solis. Especially the high quality of many of them can take their works of the master.

Solis ornaments used painters and sculptors, jewelers and engravers, engravers. A large number of German works of decorative art in the second half of the XVI century was influenced by Solis. Books, with his illustrations were published a hundred years after the death of the master - and valued very highly.