Georg Pencz

Georg Pencz was a German engraver active in the second quarter of the 16th century, primarily in Nuremberg. He was part of a group known as the Kleinmeister, or "Little Masters," named for the small size of their prints. These artists were heavily influenced by the style and subjects of Albrecht Dürer.

The Kleinmeister's engravings were technically flawless and often featured topical, didactic, and popular subjects, making them easily portable and appealing to a wide audience. Their work incorporated classical forms from Dürer and contemporary Italian artists, gradually introducing Mannerist influences. Pencz, along with artists like Hans Sebald Beham and Heinrich Aldegrever, contributed to this significant movement in German printmaking.12