Artwork
Playing Cards
Playing Cards is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Italian 15th Century. It dates from 1401 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Playing Cards is a woodcut print on laid paper, featuring a grid of repeating patterns. The design is composed of various geometric shapes and motifs.
Subject & Meaning
The print's design resembles a deck of playing cards, with shapes evoking suits such as spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds. The imagery is abstracted, with various patterns and symbols filling the grid.
Technique & Style
The print is created using the woodcut technique, where a design is carved into a wooden block, resulting in sharp, dark lines. The image is characterized by its bold, graphic quality and the texture of the laid paper.
Artist & collection
Artist
This anonymous Italian engraver from the 1490s carved images that could be peeled apart like paper dolls—each knot in the "First Knot" print was cut from a single sheet so you could lift the loops right off the page.
![The Destruction of the Egyptian Idols [verso], by Italian 15th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/italian-15th-century--the-destruction-of-the-egyptian-idols-verso--646d3c2b8098cfee-w320.webp)
![The Flight into Egypt [recto], by Italian 15th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/italian-15th-century--the-flight-into-egypt-recto--8f4d5275d7f90f98-w320.webp)
