Artwork
New ABC Booklet: E
New ABC Booklet: E is a print by the Baroque artist Lucas Kilian. It dates from 1627 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Lucas Kilian’s *New ABC Booklet: E* is a 1627 engraving produced in Augsburg. It forms part of a pedagogical series that pairs each letter of the alphabet with ornamental imagery, intended for instructional use.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif is the capital letter E, filled with a fanciful scene: a cherubic figure astride a winged horse, brandishing a spear. The surrounding composition includes vines, flowers, scrollwork and candlesticks, creating a decorative narrative that blends youthful vigor with martial symbolism.
Technique & Style
Executed in black‑and‑white line engraving, the print displays the intricate detailing characteristic of early Baroque ornamentation. Kilian’s hand is evident in the precise hatching of foliage and the fluid rendering of the cherub’s anatomy, reflecting the workshop’s skill in combining figurative and decorative elements.
History & Provenance
Kilian belonged to a prominent family of engravers active in the Custos workshop, where he produced portraits, mythological scenes, and anatomical plates. The *E* sheet was circulated as part of an educational booklet, likely used in German schools or private tutoring during the early seventeenth century.
Context
The work exemplifies the period’s trend of integrating learning tools with artistic embellishment, a practice common in German print culture of the 1600s. Its decorative approach aligns with the broader Baroque fascination for dynamic movement and elaborate ornament.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Kilian (Lucas Kilianus Augustanus; 1579–1637) was a German engraver and etcher from the Kilian family of engravers in Augsburg.
