Procession of Monstrous Figures

Art Historical Context

Created in 1615 by Wendel Dietterlin the Younger, *Procession of Monstrous Figures* is an etching that forms the first plate in a frieze of eight prints. Measuring just under four inches high, the elongated sheet captures a lively parade of fantastical creatures marching across its surface. The medium of etching allowed Dietterlin to render fine, expressive lines that bring the monsters’ scaly textures, twisted limbs, and exaggerated features to vivid life. Such imagery reflects the early seventeenth-century fascination with the grotesque and the marvelous. Artists often used monstrous processions to explore themes of wonder, moral allegory, and the boundaries between the natural and the imagined. As a printed frieze, the work could be appreciated both as individual sheets and as a continuous decorative band, making these strange figures accessible to a wider audience beyond courtly or ecclesiastical settings. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2002 through the A. Hyatt Mayor Purchase Fund, this delicate print preserves the inventive spirit of its time while inviting viewers to imagine the stories behind its curious procession.