Friezes with Birds, Flowers and Meandering Wreaths and Scrolls (3) 1600 - 1620

Theodor Bang created this delicate frieze using engraving techniques sometime in the 17th century. The composition is dominated by symmetry, with two birds facing each other at the center, their forms echoed by the surrounding floral and scroll motifs. Bang uses line to create a dense, interwoven pattern. This results in a rich textural effect despite the limited tonal range of the engraving. The symmetrical arrangement is not just decorative; it reflects a broader intellectual interest in order and balance, typical of the period. Birds and flowers are not merely representations of nature; they are stylized components of a larger symbolic structure. The frieze exists as part of a set of decorative prints that would be cut out and affixed to the surface of furniture and other interior decoration to create a unified artistic and intellectual vision.