Design for a Lavabo, Plate 85 from Dietterlin's Architectura

Art Historical Context

Wendel Dietterlin the Elder a pioneering German architect and artist of the late Renaissance, created this etching in 1598 as Plate 85 from his influential treatise *Architectura*. Titled *Design for a Lavabo it depicts an ornate washbasin—typically used for ritual handwashing in ecclesiastical or grand domestic settings—adorned with fantastical Mannerist flourishes. Measuring about 9½ x 7¼ inches on the plate, the print showcases intricate strapwork, grotesque figures, and classical motifs twisted into exuberant, asymmetrical forms. Dietterlin's *Architectura*, published in Stuttgart, was a landmark publication that popularized bold, decorative architectural fantasies during the transition from Renaissance restraint to Baroque exuberance. As one of the earliest architects to master etching—a technique involving acid-biting into metal plates for precise, reproducible lines—he enabled widespread dissemination of his visionary designs. This lavabo exemplifies Mannerism's love for complexity and artifice, blending ancient Roman inspiration with northern European whimsy. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department through the 2011 bequest of Phyllis Massar, this work highlights Dietterlin's enduring impact on ornamental architecture, inspiring generations of designers with its playful yet scholarly ingenuity.