Siervaas met over de buik slingers en mascarons 1544 - 1621

This is Giovanni Battista Montano’s sketch of a vase with garlands and mascarons, made with pen and brown ink. Montano was a 16th-century architect and designer whose aesthetic vocabulary was deeply influenced by the ruins of ancient Rome. He lived in a time when access to the classical world was becoming more available through archaeological findings but also more mediated through the social and political lenses of Renaissance culture. In this drawing, the vase form, the garlands, and the grotesque masks, all evoke an idealized vision of antiquity. Yet, the sketch is not a copy but an interpretation. The vase, typically associated with domesticity and display, is here transformed into a canvas where classical motifs meet the flourish of Renaissance design. As you reflect on this drawing, consider how each line embodies a dialogue between history and invention. The artwork remains a testament to the ways in which artists engage with, and reimagine their cultural heritage.