Blackwork Designs with Various Mammals and Birds, Plate 5 from a Series of Blackwork Ornaments combined with Figures, Birds, Animals and Flowers 1622

Meinert Gelijs created this blackwork design, populated with mammals and birds, on a metal plate, using engraving techniques. Look closely, and you'll see how the character of the engraved line defines the overall composition. Gelijs incised lines into the metal, creating grooves that would hold ink, then the plate would have been pressed onto paper. The character of the print is therefore inextricably linked to this process. Notice how the crispness of the line lends itself to the depiction of the various creatures, each rendered with remarkable detail. The animals are not just representations, but studies in form and texture, and these ornamental designs were likely used as templates for embroidery patterns. Consider the skilled labor involved in producing such a plate, and its role in disseminating designs to a wider audience. This speaks to the print's function as a facilitator of craft production, blurring the lines between fine art and the decorative arts.