Artwork
Initial A
Initial A is a drawing by the Renaissance artist Master of the Cypresses. It dates from 1434 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Initial A is a miniature drawing on vellum created around 1434 by the Master of the Cypresses, a painter and manuscript illuminator active in Seville.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing features a decorated Gothic letter 'A' with a dragon-like creature and a scene of fantastical animals inside, set against a warm golden background.
Technique & Style
The work showcases the artist's use of intricate decoration and color, reflecting influences from Italian artists like Giotto and early Netherlandish painting traditions.
History & Provenance
The Master of the Cypresses was identified by Diego Angulo Íñiguez in 1928 and is named for the cypress trees in his historiated initials for Seville Cathedral.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
The Master of the Cypresses is a notname invented by the art historian Diego Angulo Íñiguez in 1928 for a painter and manuscript illuminator working in Seville around the years 1420–1440.
