Title page of series of ornament designs in the shape of crosses of Lorraine, with grotesque motifs on black grounds
Etienne Delaune French
Related to Sebald Beham German
Related to Heinrich Aldegrever German
Not on view
Engraving, title page of a series of ornament designs in the shape of the Cross of Lorraine, created by Étienne Delaune in Strasbourg in 1573, as indicated by the inscription on this plate. The designs consist of representations of heroes and divinities, as allegories of virtue, surrounded by grotesque motifs, and executed on black grounds. This print is made up of an oval-shaped cartouche with an inscription, flanked above by a female mask, crowned by a palmette with offsetting scrolling leaves. To the sides of the oval cartouche are two bare-breasted, winged female figures with draped robes, holding in their hands a flaming torch from which emerges a scrolling motif, which ends on the head of a dragon. On the lower part of the print is a man, his legs made up of scrolling leaves, and his arms extended to the sides, holding scrolling branches with leaves, which end on putti heads. This male figure is very likely inspired on the work of German masters, such as Hans Sebald Beham and Heinrich Aldegrever.
