Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 10 works by Jost Amman in our catalogue
In short
Portrait of Stephen Bathory (detail). (1585) is the Jost Amman painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Royal Castle, Warsaw. After it, the eye goes to The Feast Of Herod, and The Sin And Punishment Of The Thief Achan. Among the 10 works of Jost Amman in our catalog, these 10 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
A single figure commands the space, anchored by the heavy gravity of velvet and fur. Stephen Bathory is rendered in a moment of stillness, his posture a vertical line of authority against a draped, shadowed background. The light falls from the upper left, catching the ridges of a brocade tunic and the soft, dark texture of a fur lining. Every fold in the fabric carries a sense of physical weight,…
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Jost Amman | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Castle |
Warsaw | 1 | Portrait of Stephen Bathory (detail). |
All the dated Jost Amman originals shown here belong to a single year, 1585: they appear in order of fame.
Pick a year to see its originals.
A single figure commands the space, anchored by the heavy gravity of velvet and fur. Stephen Bathory is rendered in a moment of stillness, his posture a vertical line of authority against a draped, shadowed background. The light falls from the upper left, catching the ridges of a brocade tunic and the soft, dark texture of a fur lining. Every fold in the fabric carries a sense of physical weight,…
Portrait of Stephen Bathory (detail). (1585), Royal Castle, Warsaw. The Feast Of Herod, and The Sin And Punishment Of The Thief Achan come next.
46 years old: Portrait of Stephen Bathory (detail). dates from 1585, and Jost Amman was born in 1539.
Portrait of Stephen Bathory (detail)., The Feast Of Herod,, The Sin And Punishment Of The Thief Achan, Jacob Wrestles With The Angel,, Nobilis Neapolitana' From Trachtenbuch Von Nurnberg (costume Book Of Nuremberg), Mauritana In Domestico' From Trachtenbuch Von Nurnberg (costume Book Of Nuremberg, Foemina Ex Praecipua Nobi' From Trachtenbuch Von Nurnberg (costume Book Of Nuremberg), The Priests Carry The Ark Of The Covenant, Zechariah's Vision Christ's Entry Into Jerusalem In The Background, and Russian embassy (1576 engraving). The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 10 works by Jost Amman.
Mostly in Royal Castle (Warsaw). The museum table above lists them all.
Clothing (3) and Books (3), across the 10 works on this page.
Jost Amman (1539-1591) was a Swiss-German artist born in Zurich, Switzerland. His father was a professor of Classics and Logic, ensuring Jost received a well-rounded education – an unusual advantage for artists of his time. Little is known about his early artistic training, but his later work demonstrates a strong foundation in drawing and design.
In 1560, Amman moved to Nuremberg, a major center for printmaking at the time. He became a citizen of the city and remained there until his death in March 1591. Initially, he worked alongside Virgil Solis, a leading producer of book illustrations. This collaboration undoubtedly influenced Amman’s early style and technique.
Amman was remarkably productive; one account suggests his drawings from just four years could fill a hay wagon! Approximately 1,500 prints are attributed to him, making him one of the last major producers of woodcuts for books before engravings largely took over that role. He often employed specialist cutters (Formschneider) but occasionally signed his work with both a cutter’s knife and quill pen, suggesting he sometimes cut blocks himself.
Amman’s drawing style is characterized by its accuracy, spirit, and attention to detail. He excelled at depicting costumes with remarkable precision. While influenced by Virgil Solis, Amman developed his own distinct style, focusing on clarity and informative representation. His work reflects the Renaissance interest in observation and documentation.
Jost Amman played a crucial role in preserving visual records of 16th-century life. His illustrations provide invaluable information about trades, costumes, and social customs of the period. As one of the last major woodcut artists for books, he bridged the gap between traditional woodcut techniques and the emerging dominance of engraving. His work continues to be studied by historians, art scholars, and costume designers today.
Although paintings in oil and on glass have been attributed to Amman, none have been definitively identified. His enduring legacy rests primarily on his prolific output of woodcuts and book illustrations, which remain a testament to his skill, dedication, and the importance of visual documentation in the Renaissance era.
