Decorated Roman alphabet
18th century
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 7 5/8 × 9 5/8 in. (19.4 × 24.5 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Mrs. John D. Gordon Gift, in memory of William M. Ivins Jr., 1963
Accession Number
63.513.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting *Decorated Roman Alphabet*, an 18th-century engraving by Johann David Nessenthaler and Martin Engelbrecht, showcases the era's fascination with elaborate decorative arts. Measuring 7 5/8 × 9 5/8 inches, this print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department transforms the standard Roman alphabet into a lively parade of ornamentation, featuring intricate motifs intertwined with animals. Produced via engraving—a precise intaglio technique that allowed for fine lines and rich tonal depth—the work exemplifies the technical mastery of German printmakers, lik...
About the Artist
Johann David Nessenthaler|Martin Engelbrecht (German|German) · 1712 |1684 –1766 |1756
German, Augsburg ca. 1717–before 1766 Augsburg|German, Augsburg 1684–1756 Augsburg