Vase with a monster at center, two cornucopias, and two flanking winged female figures
Original title: Vase with a monster at center, two cornucopias, and two flanking winged female figures
kurzbeschreibung
Where most vase prints of the period keep to a familiar format, this engraving by Cherubino Alberti (Zaccaria Mattia) puts a monster at the center, attended by two cornucopias and two winged female figures. Made sometime between 1565 and 1615, the sheet stands as a fine example of Renaissance ornamental printmaking, showing an elaborately decorated antique vase.
Description
A monster crowns the body of the vase, framed by the two horns of plenty. To either side, winged women hover and flank the vessel. Heads and other sculptural ornaments spread across its surface. The impression is black and white, its lines fine and rich in contrast. At the bottom appear the artist's name and the place, Roma.
Context
Cherubino Alberti, a late-Renaissance Italian engraver and painter, is known above all for reproductive prints and ornamental designs. This sheet was made in Rome, where Alberti was active from the 1570s onward. Prints of this kind often served as models for craftsmen and for collectors who prized antique motifs.
Impact
The arrangement is symmetrical yet lively, and the delicate linework shapes the whole sheet. Its high-contrast black and white gives it a clear, graphic presence. The dense ornament rewards a long look and shows the engraver's virtuosity.
Technique
An engraving, recognizable by its fine, even lines and the deep black of the ink. Alberti used the technique to capture the smallest details of the sculptures and ornaments. The print was pulled on paper, and the sheet measures 23.3 × 15.8 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)