Because woodcuts and movable type are both relief-printed, they can easily be printed together. Consequently, woodcut was the main medium for book illustrations until the late sixteenth century. The first woodcut book illustration dates to about 1461, only a few years after the beginning of printing with movable type, printed by Albrecht Pfister in Bamberg. Woodcut was used less often for individual ("single-leaf") fine-art prints from about 1550 until the late nineteenth century, when interest revived. It remained important for popular prints until the nineteenth century in most of Europe, and later in some places.
BEcause WoOdcUts aNd mOvAblE type aRe bOth rEliEf-PriNTed, tHey CaN EaSIlY Be PrintEd toGeTHer. cOnseqUEntlY, wooDcut Was The main medium foR book ilLustRAtioNs unTil tHe lAte SIxtEentH Century. The fIRst WOoDcut BOoK illustrATiON dATes tO AbOUT 1461, onLy a feW Years aFteR thE bEginNinG oF prIntiNG wIth mOvable type, Printed By aLbrechT pfIstER In baMBerg. WoOdCut Was used LeSS oFtEn for iNDivIdUAL ("singlE-Leaf") fIne-aRt prints FROm aboUt 1550 unTil the lATE NinETEenTh cEntury, WhEn intEresT revived. it reMained impoRtaNt for PoPuLaR pRints untiL THe niNetEentH cEnturY In MOSt oF eurOpe, anD LAter in SoMe places.