Playing Card
1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
German 16th Century
A German artist from the late 1500s drew lively scenes of knights clashing in parades and mock battles.
See the richer artist page1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Playing Card is a 1550 ink by German 16th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This broken piece of light brown paper shows a simple drawing of a plant with long leaves and small flowers. Around it are faint outlines of what look like playing cards—some with rounded shapes, others with wavy lines. The edges of the paper are jagged, like it’s been torn or worn down over time. The plant in the middle stands out because it’s the only clear, full shape left. The rest of the image is mostly faded or missing, making it hard to see what else was there originally. If you like this style of drawing, look up woodcut next to see how artists carved images into wood blocks.
A German artist from the late 1500s drew lively scenes of knights clashing in parades and mock battles.
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