Printed Advertisement
1805–8
Medium
Letterpress
Dimensions
sheet (irregular): 6 9/16 x 10 5/8 in. (16.7 x 27 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Herbert Mitchell, 2008
Accession Number
2018.839.114
Art Historical Context
This charming printed advertisement from 1805–1808, created by the Milanese firm Cermenati & Bernarda offers a glimpse into the bustling world of early 19th-century commercial printing Produced during the Napoleonic era in Italy, when neoclassical influences were blending with emerging industrial techniques, it exemplifies ephemera—those fleeting printed items like posters and flyers that promoted goods, services, or architectural designs. Classified under Prints, Ornament & Architecture, it likely advertised decorative elements or building supplies, reflecting the era's fascination with ornat...