Ornamental Frieze
1784
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1784
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This image shows a busy scene carved into a brown background. There are trees with full leaves, a tall vase, and a woman pouring water from a jug. Small figures—some human, some like animals—are scattered around, doing different things. The edges are decorated with swirls and leaves, framing the whole scene like a border. The mix of nature and strange creatures suggests a story, not just a regular landscape. The artist used a special printing method to make the brown tones look almost like carved stone. Want to know more? Look up etching to see how artists create these detailed prints.
