Ornamented Roman Majuscule Alphabet 1515 - 1525

Daniel Hopfer created this ornamented Roman majuscule alphabet on a metal sheet sometime around the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. Hopfer was a German artist known as a pioneer of etching, a printmaking technique using acid to create designs in metal. The alphabet is a window into the cultural values of the Renaissance. Letters are not just functional symbols, but elaborate displays of wealth and artistry. Each letter is adorned with foliage, figures, and grotesque masks—common motifs in Renaissance art and design. The inclusion of classical Roman letterforms demonstrates the renewed interest in classical antiquity during this period. The printing press, still a relatively new invention at the time, was changing the way information was disseminated. Hopfer's alphabet reflects this changing world. Artists were now experimenting with printmaking and this allowed for wider circulation of images and ideas. By studying the prints and drawings of this time we can come to a better understanding of the emergence of a mass visual culture.