ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Queen of Flowers

ca. 1435–40
Not on view
The Queen of Flowers is one of the exceptionally beautiful and delicate prints created by the Master of the Playing Cards, the first great figure in the history of engraving. The name traditionally given to this anonymous printmaker, who probably worked in Alsace, derives from a group of approximately seventy printed cards that survive in unique or rare impressions. This is the first of these works to enter the collection.
The Master’s deck of cards was composed of number and figure cards in suits that included flowers, birds, deer, wild men, and beasts of prey. For expediency, the Master engraved separate printing plates for each of the figures and each of the suit signs that could be combined on one sheet. The suit of flowers here is represented by a large unfurling blossom that was printed from a different plate than the demure queen. The overall soft tone and the slight slippage in the face of the figure suggest that this small work was most likely printed by hand rather than with the rolling press, which came into common use later in the fifteenth century.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Queen of Flowers
  • Artist: Master of the Playing Cards (German, active ca. 1425–50)
  • Date: ca. 1435–40
  • Medium: Engraving printed from two plates
  • Dimensions: sheet: 5 1/8 x 3 9/16 in. (13 x 9.1 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Janet Lee Kadesky Ruttenberg Fund, in honor of Colta Ives, and Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 2006
  • Object Number: 2006.429
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Saint Sebastian, Master of the Playing Cards German, Engraving
Saint Sebastian
Master of the Playing Cards
15th century
Queen of Stags, from The Playing Cards by the Master of the Playing Cards, Master of the Playing Cards German, Copperplate engraving on paper (suits signs printed from a separate plate), German
Returned to lender
Queen of Stags, from The Playing Cards by the Master of the Playing Cards
Master of the Playing Cards
ca. 1435–40
5 of Flowers, from The Playing Cards by the Master of the Playing Cards, Master of the Playing Cards German, Copperplate engraving on paper (suits signs printed from a separate plate), German
Returned to lender
5 of Flowers, from The Playing Cards by the Master of the Playing Cards
Master of the Playing Cards
ca. 1435–40
Christ Carrying the Cross, Martin Schongauer German, Engraving
Christ Carrying the Cross
Martin Schongauer
ca. 1475–80
Adam and Eve, Albrecht Dürer German, Engraving
Adam and Eve
Albrecht Dürer
1504

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.