Vase with Two Winged Figures Draping a Term

Art Historical Context

This exquisite 17th-century engraving *Vase with Two Wing Figures Draping a*, exemplifies the ornate decorative arts of the Baroque era. Likely a collaborative effort involving Dutch publishers Claes Jansz. Visscher and Frederick de Wit, along reproductions after designs by Mannerist masters like Polidoro da Carav and Rosso Fiorentino ( engraver René Boyvin), draws from Renaissance grotesque motifs. These fantastical elements—winged male nudes gracefully draping a classical term (a pillar topped with a bust)—evoke ancient Roman frescoes rediscovered during the Renaissance, blending mythology with architectural fantasy. Printed on a modest sheet (10 9/16 x 7 5/16 in.), the intricate engraving technique showcases fine lines and cross-hatching to create depth, texture, and dynamic movement. Such prints from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department served as pattern books for artists, goldsmiths, and architects, disseminating elaborate ornamentation across Europe. Snakes coil sinuously around the vase, symbolizing eternity or protection, while the muscular nudes highlight the era's fascination with the idealized male form inspired by antiquity. A bequest from Phyllis Massar in 2011, this work invites visitors to appreciate how 17th-century innovators revived classical whimsy, influencing everything from furniture to facades in grand interiors.

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...