Roundel with Architecture (from a series of The Septem Artes Mechanicae) 1563 - 1599

This roundel depicting architecture was made in the 16th century, by an artist known only as Monogrammist SZ. It’s made of glass, enameled and stained with silver stain. Glass as a medium has a unique relationship to labor and class, with both humble and luxurious applications. Here, the artist presents architecture as a skilled trade. Notice how the design is organized – in the foreground, a figure in the lower left painstakingly drafts architectural plans. At the construction site, the labor is divided between menial tasks like carrying and sawing, and specialized roles like oversight of the scaffolding. The silver stain technique, used to render the golden hues, was developed in the medieval period and enabled glassmakers to add intricate detail to the surface. It allowed for complex visual narratives on a material which was still relatively novel at the time, and therefore highly valued. The roundel is not only a depiction of work, but a product of skilled making in its own right.