1434
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Initial A is a 1434 by Master of the Cypresses, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
The painting features a large, blue letter "A" with a long tail and a pointed top, reminiscent of a Gothic letter. The letter is decorated with a design of leaves and flowers in shades of green, red, and orange. A blue dragon-like creature with a long snout and pointed ears is positioned on the right side of the letter, its body curled around the letter's curve. Inside the letter, a scene of animals is depicted. Two purple creatures with long necks and tails are shown, one standing on its hind legs and the other on all fours. The background of the painting is a warm, golden color, which adds to the overall sense of luxury and elegance. This painting is a fine example of the Renaissance style, characterized by its use of classical motifs and attention to detail. To learn more about this artistic movement, explore the Renaissance.
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.
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