Drie putti en een struisvogel c. 1530 - 1560

This print, *Three Putti and an Ostrich*, was made by the Master of the Die, and it shows us a bit about the material culture of its time. It’s an engraving, meaning that the artist would have used a tool called a burin to cut lines into a copper plate. Ink would then be applied, and the image transferred to paper. It’s a relatively efficient method, capable of producing many identical images –exactly the point. The image itself is all about abundance and even a little bit of aristocratic absurdity; cupids frolicking with an exotic bird, flanked by what looks like garlands of produce. So, the printmaking medium is well-suited to the subject. The material allows for the relatively cheap distribution of aspirational images to a growing consumer class. What was once the preserve of the few could now be enjoyed by many.