Urs Graf facts for kids

Urs Graf (born around 1485 in Solothurn, Switzerland; died possibly before October 13, 1528) was a talented Swiss artist during the Renaissance period. He was a goldsmith, a painter, and a printmaker. This means he created art using different methods like woodcuts, etchings, and engravings. Urs Graf was also known for being a Swiss mercenary, which was common for many Swiss men at that time.

He made only two etchings, with one from 1513 being the oldest dated etching known. However, his woodcuts are very important. He is believed to have invented a special way of making woodcuts called the "white-line woodcut technique." In this method, white lines form the picture against a dark background. He also made some engravings, including copies of works by famous artists like Martin Schongauer and Albrecht Dürer. Graf also created unique drawings that were seen as finished artworks, not just practice sketches.

About Urs Graf's Life

Urs Graf first learned the art of goldsmithing from his father, Hugo Graf. He then continued his training with another goldsmith in Zürich. He kept working as a goldsmith throughout his life, and a few of his beautiful pieces still exist today.

Early in his career, Urs Graf earned money by designing pictures for books made with woodcuts. He also helped a stained glass painter. In 1511, he designed the cover for a book called Decretum Gratiani for printers like Johann Amerbach and Johann Froben. The next year, in 1512, he designed the cover for a book of sermons by Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg.

In 1512, Graf bought citizenship in Basel, a city in Switzerland. This allowed him to become a member of the goldsmiths' guild, which was a group of skilled workers in the same trade. He continued his work in Basel.

Like many Swiss men of his time, Urs Graf spent significant periods working as a Swiss mercenary. This meant he was a soldier who fought for different countries or leaders for pay. After 1527, not much is known about his life. It's possible he was involved in the sack of Rome in 1527, a major historical event. We don't know exactly when or where he died. His wife remarried in October 1528, but one of his drawings has the date 1529 on it, which makes his exact death date unclear.

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