1549
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ornament with Mask is a 1549 ink by Heinrich Aldegrever, a Northern Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a wild, swirling scene with a giant mask-like face at the center. Around it, small figures with wings and strange tools seem to be climbing or floating. The edges are packed with vines, flowers, and tiny faces peeking out. Two tall, skinny columns stand on either side, almost like bookends for the chaos. The mask’s wild beard and fierce eyes make it the star, while the little figures look like they’re either helping or being swept up. This kind of busy, symbolic art was common in the 1500s. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists like this carved every detail.
Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf was a German painter and engraver. He was one of the "Little Masters", the group of German artists making small old master prints in the generation after Albrecht Dürer.
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