Otto Nuckel was born in Koln (Cologne) and illustrated books with wood-engravings including story books with no text in the manor of Frans Masereel. He was a member of the Munich Secession and invented a method of relief engraving from lead plates. As early as 1914, he issued a portfolio of 13 woodcuts for the Delphin Verlag in Munich. He also contributed to various German art journals including ‘Ganymed’ in the 1920’s, with independent engravings.