{"product_id":"letter-v-urs-graf","title":"Letter V - Urs Graf","description":"\u003cp\u003eA sixteenth-century woodcut initial letter V by Swiss artist Urs Graf, featuring three putti within a high-contrast, hatched design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eThis woodcut print features an ornamental initial letter V, a form common in early sixteenth-century book production. Urs Graf, a Swiss artist known for his work as a goldsmith and printmaker, designed this piece with the characteristic vigour of the Northern Renaissance. The composition centres on the letter V, which is flanked and occupied by three putti. These figures are rendered with heavy, expressive line work that defines their musculature and movement within the confined square frame.\n\nThe background is a dense, hatched black field, which pushes the white forms of the letter and the figures into the foreground. This high-contrast approach was a standard technique for woodcut artists of the period, allowing the design to remain legible even when printed on rough paper or used within dense blocks of text. The putti are depicted in dynamic, somewhat awkward poses, a hallmark of Graf's style, which often favoured raw energy over classical proportion. \n\nSuch initials were produced for use in printed volumes, where they served to mark the beginning of a chapter or a specific section of text. The inclusion of playful, sometimes grotesque, figures within the structure of the letter reflects the period's interest in combining classical motifs with the more whimsical traditions of medieval marginalia. This print offers a glimpse into the intersection of fine art and functional design during the early years of the printing press in Europe. The stark black and white palette ensures the graphic quality of the letter remains the primary focus, while the figures provide a narrative element that invites closer inspection of the artist's technique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/martin-luther-and-philipp-melanchthon-lucas-cranach-the-elder\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMartin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon - Lucas Cranach the Elder — Lucas Cranach the Elder\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/portrait-of-a-married-couple-lorenz-kraffter-and-honesta-merz-ulrich-apt-the-elder\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePortrait of a Married Couple (Lorenz Kraffter and Honesta Merz?) - Ulrich Apt the Elder — Ulrich Apt the Elder\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Urs Graf","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58180946755919,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58181235081551,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58181235114319,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58181235147087,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58181235179855,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58181235212623,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58181235245391,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58181235278159,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58181235310927,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58181235343695,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58181235376463,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58181235409231,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Letter-V_Poster_CompositorV1_1783598946112.jpg?v=1783633784","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/letter-v-urs-graf","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}