Two candlestick designs
ca. 1550–60
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
plate: 5 1/2 x 7 1/16 in. (14 x 18 cm) sheet: 5 11/16 x 7 3/8 in. (14.5 x 18.7 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.25
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the mid-16th century, the height of the French Renaissance,avers like René Boyvin Pierre Milan created intricate designs that bridged art and craft. This engraving, titled *Two Candlestick Designs* (ca. 1550–60), showcases two elegant candelabra adorned with sphinxes—mythical creatures blending human and lion forms, symbols of enigma and guardianship drawn from classical antiquity. Produced as a print on a modest plate (5 1/2 x 7 1/16 in.), it exemplifies the ornamental prints flooding workshops across Europe, inspiring goldsmiths, silversmiths, and architects. Engraving's precision allowe...
About the Artist
René Boyvin|Pierre Milan · 1525–1580
French, Angers ca. 1525–1598 or 1625/6 Angers