Surface Decoration, Grotesque with Strapwork, Aedicula at Center, on Either Side Recessed Balconies, in Frame at Lower Center Moses and the Brazen Serpent from Veelderleij Veranderinghe van grotissen ende Compertimenten...Libro Primo

Art Historical Context

This intricate etching, titled *Surface Decoration, Grotes with Strapwork,edicula at Center, Either Side Recessed Balies, in Frame at Center Moses and the Bra Serpent*, comes from Cornelis Floris II's 1556 publication *Veelderleijanderinghe van grotissen Compertimenten...Libro Primo*. Designed by Flemish architect Floris and masterfully engraved by brothers Johannes and Lucas van Doetecum, it exemplifies the Northern Renaissance fascination with *grotesques*—astical ornamental motifs inspired by ancient Roman frescoes rediscovered during the era's archaeological digs. At its heart is a central *aedicula* (a miniature temple-like niche) flanked by recessed balconies, all woven with elaborate strapwork—scrolling, leather-like bands that became a hallmark of Mannerist decoration. Below, a framed biblical scene depicts Moses raising the brazen serpent to heal the Israelites (Numbers 21), blending sacred narrative with profane ornament. This fusion reflects 16th-century Antwerp's vibrant print culture, where such designs were blueprints for architects, goldsmiths, and interior decorators across Europe. Printed on a modest sheet (12 1/16 x 8 1/8 in.), the etching's fine lines showcase the van Doetecums' technical prowess, making complex patterns reproducible and widely influential. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926), it invites us to marvel at how Renaissance innovators like Floris transformed antiquity into a playground of imagination.