1563
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ornament for Knife Handle is a 1563 ink by Theodor de Bry, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a long, narrow engraving of a fancy knife handle. It’s packed with tiny details: a crown at the top, a man in robes holding a book, and smaller figures below him. The lines are all black and white, with lots of swirls and shapes filling every space. The artist used a lot of small lines to create shadows and depth—this is called cross-hatching. The scene looks like a story, but it’s not a real event. It’s more like a symbol or idea turned into art. If you like this style, look up engraving to see how artists make prints like this.
Theodor de Bry (also Theodorus de Bry; 1528 – 27 March 1598) was a Walloon engraver, goldsmith, editor and publisher, famous for his depictions of early European expeditions to the Americas.
See the richer artist page
