The Incubation of the Silkworm Eggs, Plate 3 from "The Introduction of the Silkworm" [Vermis Sericus]
![The Incubation of the Silkworm Eggs, Plate 3 from "The Introduction of the Silkworm" [Vermis Sericus] by Philips Galle|Jan van der Straet, called Stradanus|Karel van Mallery](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/dp/thumb/the-incubation-of-the-silkworm-eggs-plate-3-from-659739.webp)
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 7 7/8 × 10 5/8 in. (20 × 27 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.95.869(2)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 16th century, Flemish artist Jan van der Straet, known as Stradanus, designed a fascinating series of engravings titled *The Introduction of the Silkworm* (*Vermis Sericus*), celebrating the marvels of sericulture—the cultivation of silkworms for silk production. Plate 3, *The Incubation of the Silkworm Eggs*, was masterfully engraved by Philips Galle and Karel van Mallery around 1595. This intricate print, measuring about 8 by 10 inches, captures women in a detailed interior space, tending to delicate silkworm eggs under controlled warmth, blending everyday labor with architectura...
About the Artist
Philips Galle|Jan van der Straet, called Stradanus|Karel van Mallery · 1537–1612
Philips Galle (1537–1612) was a leading Netherlandish engraver, designer, and print publisher whose career bridged the vibrant artistic scenes of Haarlem and Antwerp. Born in Haarlem, he studied under the humanist engraver Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert, honing his skills in reproductive printmaking. Early on, Galle produced engravings after the Haarlem master Maarten van Heemskerck, capturing the Man...