Title for the Print Series 'Grateske voer golt smeden Schrijnwerkers Ende andere des nodich hebbende'
ca. 1610–1630
Medium
Blackwork (title text etched)
Dimensions
7 3/4 × 11 7/16 × 1/8 in. (19.7 × 29 × 0.3 cm) Plate: 5 3/8 × 6 3/16 in. (13.7 × 15.7 cm)
Classification
Albums|Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932
Accession Number
32.123.25
Art Historical Context
This title page introduces a series of ornamental prints created by Meinert Gelijs around 1610–1630. Titled “Grateske voer golt smeden Schrijnwerkers Ende andere des nodich hebbende,” it offered grotesque designs—playful, fantastical motifs drawn from ancient Roman discoveries—for goldsmiths, cabinetmakers, and other craftsmen. Such pattern books were practical resources in the early seventeenth century, helping artisans incorporate intricate, imaginative decoration into metalwork, furniture, and architectural details. The medium, blackwork with etched text, was especially suited to ornamenta...