Nymph Playing a Horn (recto); Bracket with a Man's Head (verso)

Anonymous, German, 16th century

16th century · Brush and brown and gray wash, gray-green gouache, heightened with white over black chalk (recto); Brush and brown wash and yellow orange and brown gouache, silhouetted with brush and gray wash; red chalk (verso). · Drawings and Prints

Design for a horizontal, rectangular panel decorated with foliage. In the middle an androgynous figure whose lower body consists of acanthus leaves is depicted playing a long, straight horn. On the verso a design for a highly decorated bracket has been made. The basic structure of the bracket is typical for the late renaissance style, but the bracket is covered by organic, rocaille-like ornaments. Characteristic is the buste of an almost bold man looking upwards, which is placed right below the top of the bracket. On the lower left, this head is repeated in red chalk (possibly in a different, later hand).

Artist

Anonymous, German, 16th century

Date

16th century

Medium

Brush and brown and gray wash, gray-green gouache, heightened with white over black chalk (recto); Brush and brown wash and yellow orange and brown gouache, silhouetted with brush and gray wash; red chalk (verso).

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1948