Vase with a Sacrificial Scene

Art Historical Context

This enchanting 17th-century engraving *Vase with a Sacr Scene*, captures a fantastical ancient vessel brimming with Mannerist exuberance. Adorned with playful putti (chubby cherubs) and majestic bulls, the scene evokes classical rituals of sacrifice, blending mythological grandeur with decorative flair. Measuring a modest 10¼ × 6⅞ inches on its sheet, the print's intricate plate (7½ × 4½ inches) showcases the fine lines typical of engraving, a technique that allowed for precise detailing and multiple impressions, making art accessible beyond elite patrons. The artwork unites a stellar lineage of creators: original designs likely by Renaissance masters Polidoro da Caravaggio and Rosso Fiorentino, known for their dynamic, elongated figures and classical motifs; engraved or published by 16th-century French artist René Boyvin and 17th-century Dutch printmakers Claes Jansz. Visscher and Frederick de Wit. This collaborative reproduction reflects the era's booming print trade in the Netherlands, where Italian Mannerism inspired ornamental prints for collectors and designers. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department through the bequest of Phyllis Massar in 2011, it highlights how engravings preserved and popularized antiquity's allure in the Baroque age.

About the Artist

Claes Jansz. Visscher|René Boyvin|Polidoro da Caravaggio|Rosso Fiorentino|Frederick de Wit · 1586–1652

Claes Jansz. Visscher, also known as Nicolas Joannis Visscher II or Joannis Piscator, was a prominent Dutch Golden Age draughtsman, engraver, mapmaker, and publisher born in Amsterdam in 1587 and died there on June 19, 1652. The son of the printmaker and publisher Jan Claesz. Visscher (c. 1550–1612), he learned the art of etching and printing from his father, helping to expand the family trade int...