The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of January 30, 2023

Ornamental Panel: Triton Ridden by a Child

c. 1505–1515

Giovanni Pietro da Birago

(Italian, active c. 1471–1513)

Italy, 15th century

Engraving

Image: 53.4 x 7.8 cm (21 x 3 1/16 in.); Platemark: 53.9 x 9.1 cm (21 1/4 x 3 9/16 in.)

Dudley P. Allen Fund 1930.582

Catalogue raisonné: Hind V. 80, 10(1)

Location

not on view

Description

Printed ornamental columns—such as these flanking the portrait of Henry II—were probably colored and used for interior decorations. The printed panels may have also served artists and craftsmen creating similar patterns in other materials, including wood, stone, or metal. They have been imaginatively integrated into the display on this wall because their intricate designs feature pieces of armor and mythical creatures that echo those in the works around them.

Exhibition history

Italian and German Prints of the 15th Century. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 29, 1933-January 3, 1934).

Recent Accessions of Prints, 1933-34. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 20-March 13, 1935).

Inaugural Exhibition of the New Print Gallery - Prints from the Museum Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 10-November 13, 1938).

The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).

Design and Decoration: Ornament Prints. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 7-October 28, 1990).

Early Italian Engraving: 1460's - 1530's. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (August 25-October 27, 2002).

Gods and Heroes: Ancient Legends in Renaissance Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (August 26-December 31, 2017).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1930.582