Hans Baldung Grien (1484-85 – 1545)

German Renaissance painter and graphic artist Hans Baldung Grien dedicated several drawings and prints to the imaginary world of witchcraft.

Baldung moved to Nuremberg sometime in 1503 and  became a member of Albrecht Dürer’s workshop. There he acquired the nickname “Grien”, probably because in the reference of his use of the color green – many of his religious scenes are bathed in a weird, supernatural glow.

Hans Baldung Grien was Dürer’s most inventive and talented disciple, who nonetheless achieved a distinctive style.  Baldung’s work was expressionistic, imaginative and vividly colorful.  His output was varied and extensive, including religious works, allegories and mythologies, portraits, designs for stained glass and tapestries, and a large body of graphic work, particularly book illustrations.  Baldung’s oeuvre consists of approximately 90 paintings and altarpieces, about 350 drawings and 180 woodcuts and book illustrations.  (artknowledgenews.com)