Tag Archives: 1500s

Woodcut – Graphic poem 1503.

The Basel Minster in Switzerland (1019 – 1500)Pics by Maya

Publilius Optatianus Porphyrius, Poem XIX. Carmina figurata, 1595.

Text art before Gutenberg and Jesus! “Axe” by Simmias of Rhodes, around 325 BC. Probably the oldest surviving visual poetry (printed in 1579). It commemorates heroes of war and is

meant to be read in “chiastic” fashion: the first line, then the last line, then the second line, then the second-to-last line, and so on until concluding in the center.

Via.

Publilius Optatianus Porphyrius 1595…poem…Carmina Figurata.