26. Hans Sebald Beham
(1500-1550)
Ornament with a Palmette

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Beham, Ornament

Ornament with a Palmette

Engraving, ca. 1544, 38 x 91 mm., Bartsch 235, Pauli 240 ii/ii. Superb impression on laid paper, trimmed just to the edge of the subject but absolutely complete. Ornament was a major part of the work of virtually all the Little Masters and, while a primary purpose was simply the production of something small, beautiful and precious, meant for collectors, the designs themselves were adopted in gold and silversmiths' work, tapestry and fabric design, furniture design and decoration, plaster and painted house decoration, woodworking and the ornamenting of armor. One can find echoes of it still.