Large Tree and Castle on a Lake

It wasn't until the 1520s that landscape became a legitimate subject for prints, rather than serving as a mere backdrop for narrative scenes. The change came about when an unorthodox group dubbed the Danube School-for the river near their homes-made prints that focused solely on nature. The new medium of etching was ideally suited to capturing the wildness of the German countryside, and these artists exploited it fully. Augustin Hirschvogel is foremost among the second-generation Danube School artists. In addition to making prints, he invented the modern trigonometric system of surveying, a talent evident in the carefully arranged city on the right.