Grotesque panel with the figure of Neptune
Etching
1557 (published)
1557 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Cornelis Floris was born in Antwerp but spent some time in Rome in the late 1530s when he would have been exposed to examples of Ancient Roman and Renaissance grotesque decoration. The grotesque style often featured fanciful creatures - part human, part plant. Floris took this idea and in some cases, such as this, pushed it further than it had ever gone before. This print also shows a range of motifs related to the sea and sea creatures which were such a feature of the 16th century style known as Mannerism.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Etching and engraving |
| Brief description | Design for grotesque ornament by Cornelius Floris; etching and engraving; 1557 |
| Physical description | Print, etching with engraving |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| 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 incorporating fantastic monsters and the natural world.
Grotesque scene with Neptune and sea monsters
1557
Cornelis Floris (1514-75)
Southern Netherlands
(Belgium), Antwerp
Etching and engraving [on paper]
Museum no. 17101 |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Cornelis Floris was born in Antwerp but spent some time in Rome in the late 1530s when he would have been exposed to examples of Ancient Roman and Renaissance grotesque decoration. The grotesque style often featured fanciful creatures - part human, part plant. Floris took this idea and in some cases, such as this, pushed it further than it had ever gone before. This print also shows a range of motifs related to the sea and sea creatures which were such a feature of the 16th century style known as Mannerism. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 17101 |
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| Record created | December 20, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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