Design for an Engraved Tazza with an Allegory of Charity
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. John Innes Kane
Accession Number
1942-36-7
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Theodor de Bry (1528–1598), a masterful Flemish engraver and publisher active during the late Northern Renaissance, created this *Design for an Engraved Tazza with an Allegory of Charity* around 1588. Born in Liège and trained in Antwerp, de Bry was renowned for his intricate reproductive engravings, often illustrating emblematic and historical themes. This preparatory work, now housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (museum purchase through the gift of Mrs. John Innes Kane), exemplifies his precision in designing decorative objects for elite patrons. A *tazza*—a wide, sha...