Taste from The Five Senses

Art Historical Context

Step into the lively world of 16th-century Netherlandish art with *Taste from The Fiveenses*, an exquisite engraving created in 1561. This collaborative masterpiece features a design by Mannerist painter Frans Floris, engraving by the skilled Cornelis Cort, and by the innovative printmaker Hieronymus. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it the Renaissance fascination with personifying human senses through allegory. The scene bursts with sensory delight: a graceful woman savors ripe fruit amid lush trees, accompanied by playful monkeys that evoke temptation or earthly indulgence. Engraving, a meticulous intaglio technique where lines are incised into a metal plate, allowed for intricate details and tonal depth, revolutionizing art reproduction. This medium made high-art accessible, disseminating Floris's elegant Mannerist style—characterized by elongated figures and dynamic compositions—across Europe. As part of a popular series on the five senses, *Taste* reflects the era's blend of classical mythology, moral symbolism, and emerging humanism. Produced during Antwerp's Golden Age of printmaking, it highlights how such works educated and entertained, inviting viewers to ponder indulgence's pleasures and pitfalls. A true gem for any virtual museum stroll!

About the Artist

Cornelis Cort|Frans Floris I|Hieronymus Cock · 1533–1578

Comment on works: copper engraver; engraver; etcher