Cartouche met cherubijntje bovenaan 1613 - 1657

This is an engraving of a cartouche made by Pierre Firens, likely in the Netherlands, sometime in the early 17th century. Cartouches like this were essentially ornamental frames, often surrounding a coat-of-arms or inscription. Notice the cherub at the top, flanked by classical figures emerging from decorative scrolls. This is the visual vocabulary of the Northern Renaissance, where classical forms are re-imagined through the lens of Christian belief. Prints like this one circulated widely and served as models for artisans and craftsmen. They shaped the look of buildings, furniture, and other decorative objects. Institutions such as the Guild of Saint Luke helped promote and regulate the production of prints such as this. As art historians, we look to prints, drawings, and other source materials to help reconstruct the visual world of the past and to understand the ways in which images were used to shape cultural values.