1627
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
New ABC Booklet: A is a 1627 by Lucas Kilian, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This print shows a fancy letter "A" framed by swirling designs. At the top, two globes sit like decorations, and a small cherub holds one below. The lines are bold and dark, filling the whole space with patterns—leaves, scrolls, and tiny faces peek from the corners. The cherub looks like it’s holding up the globe as a symbol, maybe for learning or the alphabet. This kind of detailed, decorative style was common in early education books. Next, check out Baroque to see how artists used drama and detail like this.
Lucas Kilian (Lucas Kilianus Augustanus; 1579–1637) was a German engraver and etcher from the Kilian family of engravers in Augsburg.
See the richer artist page
