1613
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Border Illustration with Two Putti "Scientia, Fortitvdo, Pietas, Timor-DNI, Sapientia, Intellectvs, Consilivm" is a 1613 ink by Cornelis Galle I, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows two chubby baby figures—putti—holding a cross and a globe. They sit on either side of a blank rectangular space, framed by swirling clouds and rays of light. Latin words like *Scientia* (knowledge) and *Pietas* (piety) curve around them, while a dove floats above the top. The empty center was meant to hold text or a coat of arms, but here it’s just white. The tiny details—like the putti’s tiny wings or the cross-hatching shadows—make the scene feel busy but precise. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this carved intricate lines into metal.
Cornelis Galle the Elder (1576 – 29 March 1650), a younger son of Philip Galle, was born at Antwerp in 1576, and was taught engraving by his father.
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