Design for a Fountain, Plate 119 from Dietterlin's Architectura
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 12 5/8 x 8 1/8 in. (32 x 20.6 cm) plate: 11 5/16 in. (28.8 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.742
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of late Renaissance Germany with Wendel Dietterlin the Elder's *Design for a Fountain* (Plate 119 from *ura*, 1598). This, measuring about 12½ by 8 inches, the artist's flair for Mannerist ornamentation in a seminal pattern book that guided architects, sculptors, and designers across Europe. Published during a time when elaborate garden features symbolized wealth and ingenuity, Dietterlin's work bridged Renaissance harmony with emerging Baroque exuberance. The design bursts with fantastical elements: graceful female nudes, playful putti (chubby infant angels), an...