Ornamental sword hilt
Original title: Ornamental sword hilt
kurzbeschreibung
An angel stands atop a shield at the upper end of a richly ornamented sword hilt, while a second angel accompanies it; another angelic figure closes the arrangement below. Wenceslaus Hollar etched this design in 1642, and the print measures 18.7 × 12.9 cm.
Description
At the top, an angel stands on a shield, with a second angel beside it; below, another angelic figure completes the arrangement. Between these two poles sits the hilt itself, formed as a double sword with crossing parts. A separate sword blade and individual hilt components appear alongside. The layout is ordered as a mirror image around the central axis. Black on white, without shading or gradation, the drawing remains monochrome throughout.
Context
Hollar, a Bohemian printmaker, was working in England in 1642 for the collector Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, when he made this print. Ornament etchings of this kind could serve artisans as models or enter the collections of enthusiasts. Angelic figures and mythological motifs were part of the standard repertoire of ornament in the seventeenth century.
Impact
Precisely guided lines and the mirror-image arrangement give the print a calm, balanced character. The many individual figures lend it a crafted, noble feel that invites prolonged looking.
Technique
The print was made as an etching in the only state, so only one printed state exists. Etching allows the fine, even lines that the ornamental task demands. The impression is trimmed within the plate mark.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)