Series of Cartouche Designs
Leonardo dell'Arca Italian
Not on view
Series of eight prints with cartouche designs attributed to the artist Leonardo dell'Arca. The cartouches represent a transitory style from the architectonic designs of the late sixteenth century into the more organic lines of the early seventeenth century. The cartouches stand out for their three-dimensional qualities. They are modestly decorated with masks, putti and other ornaments for which space is reserves at top and bottom. The designs are presented on a hatched ground with horizontal markings. The versos of the sheets display various ghost impressions, implying that sheets were stacked while the ink was still wet.