Mask with a Wreath of Laurels and a Wreath of Oak Leaves, Seen from Below, from Divers Masques
ca. 1635–45
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/8 × 1 9/16 in. (6.1 × 4 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1945
Accession Number
45.101.56
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of 17th French ornamentation with *Mask with a Wre of Laurels and areath of Oak Leaves Seen from Below*, an exquisite etching from the series *Divers Masques*. Created around 1635–45 by François Chauveau, a prolific illustrator and engraver known for his delicate book illustrations, in collaboration with Jacques Van Mer, this tiny print (just 2 3/8 × 1 9/16 inches) captures a theatrical mask viewed dramatically from below. The laurel wreath evokes classical triumphs and poetic inspiration, while oak leaves symbolize strength and divine favor, nodding to Greco-Roma...
About the Artist
François Chauveau|Jacques Van Merlen · 1613–1676
Comment on works: Miniature painter; History; Genre; Portraits