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The Land of Cockaigne

Niccolò Nelli

1564

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

The Land of Cockaigne is a 1564 ink by Niccolò Nelli, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Niccolò Nelli
When & what style?: 1564 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print is packed with wild, funny scenes. People feast on roast pigs that keep running. A giant tree grows pies hanging from its branches. Buildings have roofs made of bread. The sea churns with fish jumping into nets. The whole thing is a joke about a land where food is endless. The artist carved the lines into metal, then inked it to make the print. Next, check out how etching works.