Cherub
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Cherub is a 1551 ink by Etienne Delaune, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a black-and-white design of a shield-shaped frame filled with swirling patterns. At the top is a cherub’s face peeking out from a leafy garland. Below, flowers and vines twist around a central stem, with small ovals holding more faces. The edges of the frame curve outward like a scalloped shell. The tiny lines crisscrossing the shapes create depth without color—this is called cross-hatching. It’s a trick to make flat paper look three-dimensional. Next, check out how cross-hatching works in other prints.
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