Border Design with Saints 17th century

This anonymous 17th-century drawing, "Border Design with Saints," from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a striking example of a decorative border design featuring numerous saints. The composition utilizes an intricate framework of swirling clouds and angels to frame the central, blank space that is likely intended for a text or image. This elegant design, typical of Baroque artistic sensibilities, would have been perfect for a devotional work or a title page for a religious manuscript. The delicate lines and careful shading of the drawing suggest a skilled artist who utilized a pen-and-ink technique to create a captivating visual effect.