Master of the Playing Cards

Master of the Playing Cards was anonymous German artist who is the first major master in the history of printmaking. He is known for a set of playing cards that are distinguished for the manner in which the technique of soft-ground engraving has been handled. Cards depict flowers, birds, deer, beasts of prey and wild men - so five suits in total.

Prior to engraving, cards were produced manually by painting each card or with woodblock printing technique. Engraving required more talented artist that woodblock technique, and the process was also more expensive, and therefore is reasonably to presume they were made for players of some financial means.

It is presumed that he had pupils, also unidentified but known as the Master of the Nuremberg Passion, theMaster of 1446, and the Master of the Banderoles. The fact that he had pupils suggests that he himself had been active for many years by that date. Master of the Playing Cards also engaged himself in producing other works, mostly religious, likely intended as insertions to illustrate devotional books. Most of his work is located in the Kupferstichkabinett, Dresden and the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris.