Initial letter L on patterned background
Medium
Woodcut, criblé ground
Dimensions
Sheet: 1 7/8 × 1 11/16 in. (4.8 × 4.3 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Henry W. Kent, 1941
Accession Number
41.44.1787(6)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite woodcut, titled *Initial letter L on patterned*, is a diminutive treasure from 1520, crafted by an anonymous Italian artist during the. Measuring just 1 7/8 × 1 11/16 inches, it features a boldly carved capital "L" set against a richly textured criblé ground—a technique where the block is densely dotted to produce a stippled, sieve-like pattern evoking glittering metalwork or fabrics. Leaf motifs enhance the decorative background, infusing it with natural elegance. In 16th-century Italy, such ornamental prints flourished amid the explosion of printed books and manuscripts. Wood...