Allegory of Europe, from "The Four Continents"
ca. 1590–1600
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 8 3/16 x 5 5/8 in. (20.8 x 14.3 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Estate of James Hazen Hyde, 1959
Accession Number
59.654.53
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of late 16th-century printmaking with *Allegory of Europe*, the series *The Fourents*, created around 1590–1600 by Flemish artists Philips Galle and Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder. This delicate engraving, measuring just 8 3/16 x 5 5/8 inches, exemplifies the Northern Renaissance mastery of the medium. Engraving, an intaglio technique where metal plates are incised with fine lines and inked under pressure, allowed for exceptional detail in small formats—perfect for dissemination across Europe during the Age of Discovery. The print personifies Europe through symbolic...
About the Artist
Philips Galle|Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder · 1537–1612
Philips Galle (1537–1612) was a leading Netherlandish engraver, designer, and print publisher whose career bridged the vibrant artistic scenes of Haarlem and Antwerp. Born in Haarlem, he studied under the humanist engraver Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert, honing his skills in reproductive printmaking. Early on, Galle produced engravings after the Haarlem master Maarten van Heemskerck, capturing the Man...