Letter A
1630
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
24.2 × 19.2 cm (9 9/16 × 7 9/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
127645
Art Historical Context
**Letter A** by Peter Aubry, in 1630, is a delicate engraving on paper measuring 24.2 × 19.2 cm, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department. This work exemplifies the intricate ornamental designs popular in the early Baroque era, where single capital letters like "A" were crafted as standalone prints or elements for larger decorative schemes, such as book illustrations, friezes, or architectural embellishments. Engraving, Aubry's chosen medium, involved etching fine lines into a metal plate with a burin, inking it, and pressing onto paper to produce sharp, reprodu...