Abstract

This image by Johann Wilhelm Meil (1733-1805) shows a woodcutter with his axe. Timbering was an important rural activity and a cornerstone of the peasant economy. Woodcutters not only supplied lumber for building, but they also provided raw materials needed for heating, baking, and cooking. Regulating access to forests owned by noblemen or ecclesiastical authorities, the Waldmeister [Forest Master] oversaw peasant access to this important natural resource.

Johann Wilhelm Meil, A Woodcutter Carrying His Axe (18th century)

Source

Source: Johan Wilhelm Meil, Woodcutter Carrying His Axe, etching, undated. Staatliche Museen Berlin Kupferstichkabinett. Photo: Volker-H. Schneider.
bpk-Bildagentur image no. 20033171. For rights inquiries, please contact Art Resource at requests@artres.com (North America) or bpk-Bildagentur at kontakt@bpk-bildagentur.de (for all other countries).

bpk / Kupferstichkabinett, SMB / Volker-H. Schneider

Recommended Citation

Johann Wilhelm Meil, A Woodcutter Carrying His Axe (18th century), published in: German History in Documents and Images, <https://germanhistorydocs.org/en/the-holy-roman-empire-1648-1815/ghdi:image-5284> [November 05, 2024].