Abstract:

Ming Dynasty was the golden age of woodcut illustration, the woodcut has always been the main method of illustrations in the Ming Dynasty. On the other hand, the rise, culminate and decadence of woodcut illustration went throughout the Renaissance Period in the Europe. There are some similarities among these two woodcut illustrations’ domains were in two parallel timeline. However, these two woodcut illustrations’ domains had different developing path, due to politics, economy, culture, aesthetic appreciation, and other influences. This paper attempts to chase down the underlying causes of differentiation and different develop trend for these two woodcut illustrations’ domains through parallel comparison, research and analysis.