Ornamental Panel (ca. 1514–36, Met-Objekt 5833)
Original title: Ornamental Panel
kurzbeschreibung
Dating from around 1514–36, Agostino Veneziano's (Agostino dei Musi) 'Ornamentale Tafel' is an engraving that presents an elaborate ornamental panel. At its center sits a figure, surrounded by cherubim and plant-like embellishments. The print was executed as a copper engraving in monochrome gray tones.
Description
A central seated figure is encircled by several cherubim in various poses—some hovering, some sitting, some lying down. These putti hold wreaths, swords, and other emblems. In the upper part of the sheet, more cherubim move in flowing, animated attitudes. Intertwined floral and vegetal ornaments climb around the entire panel. The view is rich in detail and combines human with animal forms.
Context
Agostino Veneziano, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, worked in the workshop of Marcantonio Raimondi. He became known both for reproductive engravings after other artists' designs and for his own ornamental inventions. This sheet was made in an era when ornamental prints served as models for craftsmen and as collectors' items. The dating 1514–36 covers a large part of his working years in Rome and Florence.
Impact
The crowded arrangement of figures and ornaments exerts an almost hypnotic pull, so that the eye keeps discovering new details. The intricate web of lines gives the sheet a noble, precious aura characteristic of high-quality Renaissance printmaking. The combination of symbolism and decoration invites prolonged looking.
Technique
For this engraving, lines were cut into a copper plate with a burin. Fine shading and spatial depth arise from varying line density and direction. Printing was done in monochrome black ink on paper, which brings out the gray gradations and the play of light of the engraving.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)