Artwork
Les divers pourtraicts et figures XIII
Les divers pourtraicts et figures XIII is an ink print by the Baroque artist Master AD. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Les divers pourtraicts et figures XIII is a black‑and‑white engraving executed around the year 1600 by the anonymous printmaker known as Master AD. The work presents a compact composition of four nude, muscular figures arranged within a dark, arched frame, their bodies rendered in stark contrast against the surrounding void.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts four robust men in exaggerated, contorted poses: two stand upright, each supporting a staff, while the other two intertwine in a tangled, almost theatrical arrangement. Their exposed torsos, wild hair, and exaggerated musculature suggest an interest in the study of the human form and the dramatic potential of bodily tension.
Technique & Style
Master AD employed fine, closely spaced lines and cross‑hatching to model volume and generate a sense of depth without the aid of colour. The engraving’s precise incisions into the metal plate produce a crisp delineation of muscle and fabric, while the dark background and surrounding arches frame the figures and heighten the overall dynamism.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the seventeenth century, the print belongs to a series of works attributed to Master AD, an unidentified engraver active in the Low Countries. The piece has circulated among private collections and is now held in a museum collection that specializes in early modern prints, though its exact ownership trail remains partially undocumented.
Artist & collection
