Frieze with Tritons and Nymphs 1490 - 1530

Girolamo Mocetto created this print, Frieze with Tritons and Nymphs, likely in Venice, using etching and engraving techniques on a metal plate. The printmaking process transforms an image into a repeatable matrix, allowing for dissemination on paper, a relatively accessible material. This frieze, teeming with sea creatures and mythical figures, wouldn’t have been possible without highly skilled labor. The density of the lines create shading and texture, which required careful work with burins and acids. The image alludes to classical sculpture, but it is not quite that. This wasn’t a unique work of art like a sculpture or fresco; it was an image intended for a wider audience. In its time, prints like this were often collected in albums, used as inspiration for other art forms, or served as decoration. Understanding this print means thinking about the labor involved in its making, and the social function it served. It collapses the boundaries between high art and practical application.