Vessel with grotesque masks, griffins, and a frieze populated by a bull and men in bas-relief, reverse copy after Cherubino Alberti, in turn after Polidoro da Caravaggio
Original title: Vessel with grotesque masks, griffins, and a frieze populated by a bull and men in bas-relief, reverse copy after Cherubino Alberti, in turn after Polidoro da Caravaggio
kurzbeschreibung
A vessel lavishly covered with grotesque masks, griffins, and a frieze of a bull and men in low relief appears in this engraving. The sheet by an unknown artist was made between 1550 and 1600 and is a reverse copy after a work by Cherubino Alberti, which in turn goes back to a design by Polidoro da Caravaggio.
Description
A single-headed vessel is shown, its lid bearing a grotesque face and a spiral. Reliefs spread across the body, including a bull's head and several figures in lively poses. A zone below again features a bull's head with accompanying figures; the lower edge is formed by a relief-like lion's head. At the bottom of the sheet, in elegant lettering, stands the name 'POLYDO RUS DE CARAVAGIO'.
Context
In the second half of the sixteenth century, reproducing works of the High Renaissance was widespread. Polidoro da Caravaggio (c. 1499–1543) had created facade decorations in Rome that became known to a wider public through prints such as this one. The Italian Cherubino Alberti (1553–1615) engraved such models; the copy here is reversed, a peculiarity of the printing process.
Impact
The densely packed ornament of the vessel feels opulent, almost overloaded; it urges the viewer to look closely. Grotesque masks meet classical motifs such as bull and lion heads, creating a mood that is both antique and fantastic.
Technique
For the engraving, lines were cut into a copper plate and then printed on paper. Fine hatching and the precise rendering of the relief structures attest to the high technical skill of the unknown engraver. At 24 x 16.3 cm, it is a handy sheet that served collectors and artists as a model.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)