1506
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ornament with a Cupid, a Satyr, and Grotesque Figures is a 1506 ink by Master of the Horse Heads, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a black-and-white design packed with strange, twisted shapes. A small cherub crouches below a horned, wild-faced figure, both tangled in vines and swirling leaves. At the top, a winged baby holds a spear, while monsters with curled horns and leafy branches wrap around them all. The mix of human, animal, and plant forms was a favorite in Renaissance art. These "grotesque" designs often came from ancient Roman ruins. Try looking up engraving to see how artists carved these details into metal plates.
Master of the Horse Heads (1453–1560) was an artist.
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