{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78252"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78252/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM2862/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM2862/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM2862","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O78252/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78252","accessionNumber":"E.830-1927","objectType":"Engraving","titles":[{"title":"Perseus","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>This print is an engraving, an image made by cutting lines into the surface of a flat piece of metal, inking the plate and then transferring the ink held in the lines onto a sheet of paper.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Already in his twenties the Flemish engraver and publisher Abraham de Bruyn began producing prints suitable for use as design sources by craftsmen and makers. By the time he died he had produced over 500 prints, including sets of the Senses, the Planets and the Twelve Ceasars, as well as many portrait and costume prints.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>In this print Abraham de Bruyn has deployed a huge variety of ornamental motifs in the border framing the central oval. They include men in armour, naked men - possibly sea gods riding on sea monsters -, strange creatures that are half- animal and half-snail, a mask, vases, flowers, branches of leaves, scrolling foliage, flags and hanging drapery. All these elements are organised symmetrically. There is as much to look at outside the oval frame as inside it.<br><br><b>Printed Design Sources</b><br>The set of six oval-framed scenes from the life of Perseus on which this print is based were a source for a number of interiors in England at the beginning of the 17th century. This print is in black and white but anyone using it as a printed design source had to adapt it to new materials, change its scale and make their own decisions about whether or not to paint or gild the object they were copying it onto.","physicalDescription":"Scene from classical mythology in an oval surrounded by grotesque figures","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Abraham de Bruyn","id":"A8195"},"association":{"text":"printmaker","id":"AAT25164"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Joos de Bosscher","id":"AUTH319950"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"engraving","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Ornament prints","id":"THES49038"},{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AM2862"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"58E (VA)","id":"THES49233"},"free":"","case":"CA1","shelf":"DR2","box":"21"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Antwerp","id":"x28724"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1584","earliest":"1584-01-01","latest":"1584-12-31"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"11.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: measured; 21/12/1998 by NH","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Designed by Abraham de Bruyn (born in Antwerp, Belgium, 1540, died, possibly in Cologne, Germany, 1587) and probably engraved in Cologne.\n\nThese panels, with oval senes labelled <i>Medusa</i> and <i>Andromeda</i>were used as the basis of overmantels at Charlton House, Kent, 1607, and Boston House, Brentford, about 1623. De Bruyn was a prolific specialist in grotesque ornament, who published about 240 finely engraved plates [from departmental notes].","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Engraved panel of ornament depicting Perseus and Medusa","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guilmard, D., <u>Les Maîtres Ornemanistes</u>, Paris, 1880-1881, p.485, 25 (2)."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Hollstein, F. W. H., et al. <u>Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts, ca. 1450-1700</u> (Amsterdam: Menno Hertzberger, 1949-ongoing): vol. IV, p.6, nos 102-7."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1927</u>, London: Board of Education, 1928."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nThese prints show two episodes from the 'Metamorphoses' of Ovid (43 BCE-17 or 18 CE). In one, Perseus has killed Medusa and the horse Pegasus has sprung from her body. In the other, Perseus rescues Andromeda who has been chained to a rock as a sacrifice. The stories of death and transformation from Roman mythology are here surrounded by fantastical decoration. Elements of such designs could be used for overmantels, silverware, tapestry or wall painting.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["E.830-1927"],"accessionNumberNum":"830","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1927,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN1617","2019LR1457","2019LP1398","2019LU1483"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-07","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}