From "Bizzarie di varie Figure" 1624

Giovanni Battista Bracelli made this print as part of a series called “Bizzarie di varie Figure.” It would have been achieved by cutting lines into a metal plate, inking the surface, and then running it through a press to transfer the image to paper. The figures are constructed of what seem to be found objects, like props in a theatrical production. But these aren’t just whimsical characters. Consider the process by which they were made; each print required the skilled labor of an artisan, precisely incising and printing each plate. Bracelli was clearly fascinated by process and form, pushing the boundaries of what could be considered art. His prints blurred the line between representation and abstraction. He took the techniques of printmaking, and combined them with a wild, almost surreal imagination. Ultimately, works like this remind us that art is always the product of both material and mind, challenging our assumptions about the boundaries between art, craft, and design.