Lunar-shaped Ring Bezel and Grotesque Figures
ca. 1620–30
Medium
Blackwork engraving
Dimensions
Plate: 2 9/16 x 2 3/4 in. (6.5 x 7 cm) Sheet: 4 x 5 3/16 in. (10.2 x 13.2 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1942
Accession Number
42.40.1(1)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate blackwork engraving by French artist Noël Rouillard, created around 1620–30, offers a fascinating glimpse into the ornamental design practices of early seventeenth-century Europe. Titled *Lunar-shaped Ring Bezel and Grotesque Figures*, the small print depicts an intricate crescent-moon form intended as a ring setting, surrounded by whimsical grotesque motifs—hybrid creatures and decorative flourishes drawn from Renaissance traditions. Measuring just over two inches across, the plate exemplifies the precision of engraving techniques used to translate jewelry concepts onto paper. ...