Masque Head c. 1550s

drawing, print, engraving

portrait

drawing

allegory

print

mannerism

figuration

pencil drawing

france

surrealism

history-painting

academic-art

engraving

"Masque Head" is a 16th-century engraving by Pierre Milan. The image depicts a detailed profile portrait of a man in a grand, ornate headdress. The headdress is intricately designed with a winged figure, a putto, a lion, grapes, and foliage, creating a sense of extravagance and drama. This small work demonstrates Milan's skill as an engraver, capturing the subtle nuances of form and texture through intricate lines and shading. The intricate details of the headdress and the dramatic use of light and shadow contribute to the overall theatrical quality of the piece.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Some Renaissance observers believed that original displays of fantasia, or imagination, were the true mark of an artist. In that spirit, Pierre Milan molded a bizarre collection of motifs into a centurion headpiece. A homunculous rides a crouching beast, and a lifeless piece of angel head statuary lies in the vicinity of the centurion's ear. Milan's forceful contours and decisive linework made him the leading Parisian engraver of his day. Still, he was forever in debt. He would pay his creditors in prints, and at one point owed an estimated 120,000 impressions to repay a loan.