Plate 29, from GrotteÃco: in diverÃche manieren
Medium
ornament
Classification
ornament
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. John Innes Kane
Accession Number
1945-59-17
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Plate 29 from *Grotteßco: in diverßche manieren*** (1564) by Hans Vred de Vries captures the whimsical spirit of Renaissance ornamentation. A versatile Dutch artist, architect, and engraver (1527–ca. 1606), Vredeman de Vries was renowned for his innovative designs blending architecture with fantastical motifs. This plate hails from his influential pattern book, published in Antwerp amid the Northern Renaissance's fascination with rediscovered Roman grotesques—intricate, vine-like decorations unearthed in ancient sites like Nero's Domus Aurea. These prints served as practical guides for artis...