Artwork
Shepherd with a Platerspiel
Shepherd with a Platerspiel is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Benedetto Montagna. It dates from 1508 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in plate: .B.M.
About this work
Overview
Shepherd with a Platerspiel is an engraving created by Benedetto Montagna around 1508. It exemplifies the artist's skill in printmaking, a medium in which he worked prolifically from about 1500 to the early 1520s.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts a solitary shepherd playing a platerspiel, a stringed instrument, in a serene wooded setting. The scene is characterized by a sense of calm and subtle mystery, with a distant landscape featuring a stone bridge and mountains.
Technique & Style
Montagna achieved depth and detail in the engraving through the use of fine lines and shading. The work is representative of his characteristic style, which is marked by a high level of tonal nuance and precision.
History & Provenance
Benedetto Montagna was the son and pupil of painter Bartolomeo Montagna. He took over his father's workshop in the early 1520s, after a period of significant productivity as an engraver.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Benedetto Montagna (c. 1480–1555/58) was an Italian engraver and painter. Montagna was born in Vicenza, the son of the leading painter of the city, Bartolomeo Montagna, with whom he trained and perhaps continued to…
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