The Morris Dancers
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate/sheet: 17.2 × 17.2 cm (6 13/16 × 6 13/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
22656
Art Historical Context
Israhel van Meckenem the Younger, a prolific German engraver active in the late fifteenth century, created this lively scene of Morris dancers using the demanding technique of engraving on copper. The square format and intimate scale—roughly the size of a small book page—made the print ideal for wide circulation among collectors and enthusiasts across Northern Europe. Working in black ink on ivory laid paper, van Meckenem achieved crisp lines and subtle tonal contrasts that captured the energetic poses of the costumed performers. Engravings like this one played a crucial role in the Northern ...
About the Artist
Israhel van Meckenem, the younger
Israhel van Meckenem the Younger (c. 1440–1503) was a German goldsmith and engraver who became one of the most prolific printmakers of the fifteenth century. Born in Meckenheim near Bonn, he was trained by his father, Israhel van Meckenem the Elder, who was himself a goldsmith and engraver. The younger Israhel may also have worked in the workshop of the Master E.S., whose plates he later reworked ...