Artwork

Two Brooches with Dragon and Insects at Top and Human Beings with Snake-like Tails atBottom

Two Brooches with Dragon and Insects at Top and Human Beings with Snake-like Tails atBottom is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Daniel Mignot. It dates from 1596 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Daniel Mignot’s 1596 engraving presents a pair of elaborate brooch designs. The upper motif depicts a winged dragon with an elongated tail, while the lower motif shows a humanoid figure whose lower half resembles a serpent. Both compositions are surrounded by intricate ornamental elements such as swirls, stars and miniature decorative shapes.

Subject & Meaning

The dragon and the snake‑tailed figure serve as allegorical or fantastical subjects, common in late‑Renaissance ornamental prints. The human figure, holding a staff, stands between the two brooches, perhaps indicating a narrative link or a symbolic juxtaposition of mythic and human realms.

Technique & Style

Mignot employs fine, cross‑hatched lines and subtle shading to render textures, notably the scales of the dragon and the feather‑like details of the surrounding motifs. The engraving’s precise line work creates a sense of depth and materiality within the decorative framework.

History & Provenance

Created in 1596, the print reflects the period’s interest in ornamental design for jewelry and decorative arts. It is attributed to French engraver Daniel Mignot, whose work contributed to the dissemination of decorative motifs across Europe during the late sixteenth century.

Context

The engraving belongs to a broader tradition of pattern books that supplied designers with imaginative motifs for metalwork, textiles and other applied arts. Such prints circulated among craftsmen, influencing the visual vocabulary of Renaissance ornamentation.