During the first half of the 16th century, a tendency towards expressive forms of expression in painting, sculpture and drawing emerged in Central European art. This includes all phenomena that deal with reality and the pictorial tradition in an exaggerated form. It is characterized, for example, by dynamic distortions of structures, strong colors and light effects, the focusing of objects and the exaggeration of figures, for example through expressive gestures, physiognomies and clothing. This is evident in works by Albrecht Altdorfer, Matthias Grünewald, Wolf Huber, Hans Leinberger and the Master IP, among others. This opulently illustrated volume is based on the contributions to a conference that was held in preparation for the 'Fantastic Worlds' exhibition in Frankfurt and Vienna. The book shows new ways of dealing with the art of this period, moving away from traditional concepts and regionally based patterns of interpretation.