Design for grotesque ornament
Print
1556 (engraved)
1556 (engraved)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Cornelis Floris was one of the foremost inventors of this style of grotesque decoration which incorporates disturbing imagery of human figures trapped within boney and gristly structures. The nightmarish quality of the central area is enlivened by the playfulness of the putti across the top, the fish which swims down the tree trunk and the comical snails which lend a humourous streak to such compositions. The masks, grotesques and strapwork seen in this example were common features of Mannerism and were a new contribution to ornamental design which was much admired and copied in northern Europe. Antwerp was a major centre of printmaking and distribution, with Cornelis Floris one of its most prolific printmakers. Prints such as this spread these styles across Europe.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Design for grotesque ornament (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Etching and engraving on laid paper |
| Brief description | Design for a grotesque ornament by Cornelis Floris II (1514-1575); etching and engraving |
| Physical description | Upright grotesque with auricular and strapwork forms containing trapped male and female figures and demi-figures emerging from the trunk of a tree. The whole suspended from a lion mask. At the top of the structure are nine putti with festoons of fruit. Lettered F bottom centre. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label | PRINTS
Prints were one of the main ways by which styles spread across Europe. The masks, grotesques and strapwork seen in these examples were common features of Mannerism.
Antwerp, where three of these prints come from, was a major centre of printmaking and distribution, with Cornelis Floris one of its most prolific printmakers. He specialised in devising bizarre scenes incoroporating fantastic monsters and the natural world.
Grotesque scene with huge gaping mouth
1556
Cornelis Floris (1514-75)
Southern Netherlands
(Belgium), Antwerp
Etching [on paper]
Museum no. 29170.5A |
| Object history | The plates (title-page and eleven plates), from which this print comes, comprises a set entitled 'Veelderleij Veranderinghe van grotissen ende Compertimenten ghemaeckt tot dienste van alle die de Conste beminne ende ghebruiken', and was published by Hieronimus Cock in 1556. Museum number 29170.1 is lettered with the title and 'ghedruckt bij Hieronimus Cock 1556 Cornelis Floris Iventor Libro Primo Cum G. Et Privilegio'. |
| Historical context | Désiré Guilmard records only 10 plates including the title page. Robert Hedicke notes that those lettered G and I in the set are also known without letters. A.J.J.Delen (p.138) says that this set and the second book were engraved by J. and L. van Duetecum. Hedicke suggests that the designs were only published by Cock some years after they were originally made. The design lettered I in the set was used by De Coster (Dominicus Custos) in 1618 in the composition of cartouches for the portraits of the Fuggers, a set of 127 entitled 'Images: Fuggerorum et Fuggerarum', two impressions from this set with identical cartouches are in the Department of Prints and Drawings, nos. 24965.1 and 7 (Note from departmental catalogue). |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Cornelis Floris was one of the foremost inventors of this style of grotesque decoration which incorporates disturbing imagery of human figures trapped within boney and gristly structures. The nightmarish quality of the central area is enlivened by the playfulness of the putti across the top, the fish which swims down the tree trunk and the comical snails which lend a humourous streak to such compositions. The masks, grotesques and strapwork seen in this example were common features of Mannerism and were a new contribution to ornamental design which was much admired and copied in northern Europe. Antwerp was a major centre of printmaking and distribution, with Cornelis Floris one of its most prolific printmakers. Prints such as this spread these styles across Europe. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 29170.:5/A |
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
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 7, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
