A wide cup with ornamental stem
Original title: A wide cup with ornamental stem
kurzbeschreibung
A sumptuous bowl rests on a tall, richly ornamented stand, captured in a 1646 etching by Wenceslaus Hollar. The impression, in the only known state, measures 16.1 × 12.8 cm and belongs to the Arundel collection.
Description
Oval with a flat, wide lip, the bowl opens outward, its rim running into an ornamental pattern. From the base to the middle, a tangled, spiraling decoration climbs the tall foot. A small upright figure in robes, holding an object, stands above. Masks and other decorative forms cover the foot as well. Sharp contours and densely worked lines give the image a Renaissance character.
Context
Hollar made this etching in 1646 while in the service of the collector Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel. The inscription “Holbein delin. Wollar fecit, 1646 ex Collectione Arundeliana” names Hans Holbein the Younger as the source. From Arundel’s holdings Hollar produced numerous reproductive prints. Only a single state of this sheet is recorded; it was kept in the Arundel collection.
Impact
Fine lines and a symmetrical arrangement lend the sheet an elegant, formal presence. The ornamental richness of the foot stands in tension with the calm form of the bowl, creating a decorative contrast.
Technique
In etching, lines are incised into an etched plate and the impression is pulled on paper; this sheet was trimmed by about 11 × 2 mm within the image. The process allows precise, fine lines, as needed for reproducing ornaments.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)