Ornament with Owl Mocked by Day Birds c. 1480

"Ornament with Owl Mocked by Day Birds" is a 16th-century print by the artist known as Master FVB. The intricate design features a stylized owl surrounded by a flurry of fantastical foliage and day birds, symbolizing the owl's nocturnal nature and its perceived foolishness in the daylight. Master FVB, an active printmaker between 1475 and 1500, utilized the technique of woodcut to create this fine example of German Renaissance ornamentation, which was a popular motif for decorative purposes during the period. The image, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, serves as a visual reminder of the rich symbolic language embedded within the artistic culture of the time.