Frieze with Sea Monsters
1580–1600
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 1 3/8 × 8 7/8 in. (3.5 × 22.5 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1957
Accession Number
57.658.13(4)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created between 1580 and 1600, “Frieze with Sea Monsters” is a finely detailed engraving by Johann Theodor de Bry, a skilled German printmaker whose work helped spread ornamental designs across Europe. Measuring only 1 3/8 by 8 7/8 inches, the narrow sheet was likely intended as a model for craftsmen, showing how engraving’s precise lines could capture elaborate patterns for use in architecture, furniture, or book decoration. The composition features a lively procession of fantastical sea creatures alongside playful putti, blending classical mythology with imaginative invention. As both a pri...
About the Artist
Johann Theodor de Bry · 1561–1923
Comment on works: copper engraver