5/10

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

This etching, titled *5/10*, was created by Gerard van Groeningen between 1569 and 1575. As the numbering suggests, it forms part of a larger series of ten prints, a common format for disseminating narrative or allegorical subjects during the late Renaissance. Working in the Low Countries, van Groeningen employed etching—a technique that allowed for fluid, expressive lines—to produce detailed compositions that could be widely circulated among collectors and scholars. Measuring 241 mm wide by 196 mm high, the print exemplifies the intimate scale favored for cabinet works intended for private study rather than large public display. The presence of the collector’s mark Lugt 2228 further indicates that this impression passed through distinguished hands, underscoring the long-standing appreciation for Northern European graphic art among later connoisseurs. Etchings such as this one played a vital role in shaping visual culture of the period, bridging the gap between painting and print while making sophisticated imagery accessible beyond courtly circles. Today, *5/10* offers viewers a glimpse into both the technical refinement and the collecting practices of sixteenth-century Europe.