Siervaas met bloemen 1544 - 1621

This line drawing of a flower vase was created by Giovanni Battista Montano. At first glance, the vase's symmetrical design commands attention. Montano meticulously balances both halves of the vase, creating a mirror-like effect with its handles and floral garlands. The composition uses curvilinear forms, giving the vase a sense of movement and vitality. The linear quality of the artwork emphasizes the structure and form of the vase, rendering its three-dimensional volume. The flowers sprouting from the vase disrupt this symmetry, adding a dynamic tension. This contrast raises questions about the function of the vase: is it purely ornamental, or is it meant to hold the ephemeral beauty of nature? The vase, as a container, becomes a symbol of classical order infused with the unpredictability of the natural world. Ultimately, the drawing serves not just as a depiction of an object, but also as a meditation on the interplay between form and function, nature and artifice.