Auricular Cartouche with Figures within a Strapwork Frame from Veederley Veranderinghe van grotissen ende Compertimenten. Libro Primo
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Overall: 14 7/16 x 11 7/16 x 5/16 in. (36.6 x 29 x 0.8 cm)
Classification
Albums|Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Anne and Carl Stern Gift, 1959
Accession Number
59.642.32
Tags
Art Historical Context
This 1556 etching by Cornelis Floris II, engraved by the van Doetecum brothers, comes from the ornamental pattern book *Veelderley Veranderinghe van grotissen ende Compertimenten*. It showcases an elaborate auricular cartouche—characterized by soft, ear-like curves—framed by interlacing strapwork and inhabited by mythical creatures and snails. Created in Antwerp during the height of Northern Mannerism, the print exemplifies the inventive grotesque designs that Floris helped popularize across Northern Europe. These albums served as practical resources for goldsmiths, sculptors, and architects,...