Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level F , Case TOPIC, Shelf 6B

Shield with a swan, held by a woman

Print
ca 1490 (engraved)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Martin Schongauer, son of a goldsmith, was among the first European artists to explore the full expressive potential of printmaking. Schongauer's novel use of the technique of engraving, developed from the goldsmith's long-established practice of decorating metal with engraved patterns, was recognized almost immediately and his prints were highly esteemed in his own lifetime.

This is one of a series of ten engravings depicting either a single or a pair of shields held by a single supporting figure. The set includes shields held by an angel, a Moor, a peasant, a wild man and woman, and two women. It is not known why these engravings were made but they are thought to have been most likely used as models for goldsmiths, miniaturists and other craftsmen to take elements from and adjust according to their needs. Schongauer's coats of arms cannot be linked with any particular commissions, however there must have been a considerable demand for sample heraldry of this sort among goldsmiths, manuscript illuminators and simply among newly-rich families wanting to enhance their status.The heraldic imagery on the shields represent between them standard heraldic devices, such as stars, lions, swans and cockerels.

Printing engravings on paper as opposed to engraving the surface of metal objects for decorative effect, evolved in Germany in the workshops of goldsmiths. Schongauer himself trained as a goldsmith.Early prints were patterns for decorations on art objects and examples were collected by craftsmen, just as they compiled ‘model books’ of drawn copies. Print was relatively affordable and became a way in which designs spread through craftsmen’s workshops across Europe and beyond.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleShield with a swan, held by a woman (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Engraving on paper
Brief description
'A woman seated, holding a shield with a swan' by Martin Schongauer; engraving
Physical description
A young woman, turned slightly to the left, is seated on grassy area, holding with both hands a shield depicting a swan. Her head, encircled by a thick garland of braided hair, is inclined to the left.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 73mm
Styles
Marks and inscriptions
M + S (The monogram of Martin Schongauer is at the bottom of the print in the centre. The monogram consists of Schongauer's initials and a goldsmith-like hallmark composed of a small cross plus the crescent from his family's coat of arms. This signature occurs in two forms: a few plates, apparently all done in the early 1470s, have an M with vertical sides; the majority have an M with slanting sides. (The Illustrated Bartsch, Vol.8 Part 1, pg. 1))
Historical context
'The use of coats of arms and personal devices had originated in the earliest days of knighthood as a way to identify men entirely encased in armour, and the devices chosen had personal assocations with deeds of valor in battle; these were the people who became the landed nobility in the course of time and their coats of arms were both officially recognized and inheritable. By the fifteenth century, however, the rise of urban life and an economy based on money rather than land had created a growing middle class whose prestige had been won in the world of commerce and civic activity rather than on the battlefield. Such people received permission from Kaiser Friedrich III - ever short of cash - to purchase coats of arms for themselves. These were valid only during the lifetime of the original grantee and, since they could not be inherited by his descendants, are usually impossible to identify today.

Paper coats of arms are thought to have been used as ex libris plates, as name plates and calling cards. By the sixteenth century, and very possibly as early as Schongauer's day, a student from a wealthy family might use such a print as an inset in a friend's 'album amicorum'. Each guild, city, university and bishopric had its own emblem, as did places of business such as inns, and even larger private homes, where they served in lieu of house numbers.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Martin Schongauer, son of a goldsmith, was among the first European artists to explore the full expressive potential of printmaking. Schongauer's novel use of the technique of engraving, developed from the goldsmith's long-established practice of decorating metal with engraved patterns, was recognized almost immediately and his prints were highly esteemed in his own lifetime.

This is one of a series of ten engravings depicting either a single or a pair of shields held by a single supporting figure. The set includes shields held by an angel, a Moor, a peasant, a wild man and woman, and two women. It is not known why these engravings were made but they are thought to have been most likely used as models for goldsmiths, miniaturists and other craftsmen to take elements from and adjust according to their needs. Schongauer's coats of arms cannot be linked with any particular commissions, however there must have been a considerable demand for sample heraldry of this sort among goldsmiths, manuscript illuminators and simply among newly-rich families wanting to enhance their status.The heraldic imagery on the shields represent between them standard heraldic devices, such as stars, lions, swans and cockerels.

Printing engravings on paper as opposed to engraving the surface of metal objects for decorative effect, evolved in Germany in the workshops of goldsmiths. Schongauer himself trained as a goldsmith.Early prints were patterns for decorations on art objects and examples were collected by craftsmen, just as they compiled ‘model books’ of drawn copies. Print was relatively affordable and became a way in which designs spread through craftsmen’s workshops across Europe and beyond.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Bartsch, Adam von. The Illustrated Bartsch. 8 Commentary, Part 1.
  • Bartsch, Adam von. The Illustrated Bartsch. 8, Formerly Vol.6 (Part 1).
  • Bartsch, Adam von. Le Peintre Gravure.
  • Lehrs, Max. Martin Schongauer: the Complete Engravings, a Catalogue Raisonne. catalogue no.
  • Hollstein, F. W. H. German engravings, etchings, and woodcuts, ca. 1400-1700. Rotterdam, Sound & Vision Publishers, 1999. Volume XLIX.
Other number
B.98 - Le Peintre-Graveur
Collection
Accession number
18963

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdApril 10, 2008
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest