Ornament with Mask 1549

Heinrich Aldegrever made this Ornament with Mask sometime in the mid-16th century, using the intaglio process of engraving. With engraving, the image is incised into a metal plate, likely copper, using a tool called a burin. The artist would have applied considerable pressure, using the strength of their arm to force the tool through the resistant metal, creating clean, precise lines. Ink is then applied to the plate and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the engraved lines, before being printed onto paper. The resulting print has a tactile quality; you can almost feel the presence of the artist’s hand. The image is teeming with fanciful motifs – grotesque masks, human figures, and swirling foliage. Ornament prints like this one were essential in disseminating design ideas, circulating patterns for other artists and artisans to copy. In this way, printmaking fueled the wider Northern Renaissance economy and culture of ornament. It collapses any hierarchy between fine art and practical design.