Artwork
Woman Carrying a Tray
Woman Carrying a Tray is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Master F.P.. It dates from 1528 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Woman Carrying a Tray is an early 16th‑century print executed in etching by the artist identified only as Master F.P. Completed in 1528, the work presents a single figure in a moment of physical exertion, rendered on paper with the characteristic fine lines of the medium.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman leaning forward, a heavy tray balanced on her head while her arms clasp it tightly. Her posture and the tension in her muscles convey fatigue, suggesting the everyday labor of domestic service and the physical demands placed upon women in the period.
Technique & Style
Etched with precise incisions, the artist delineates the contours of the figure’s body, the drapery’s folds, and the texture of the brick wall behind her. The linear emphasis on musculature and fabric detail marks a departure from earlier, more schematic prints, indicating an emerging interest in realistic representation.
History & Provenance
Created in 1528, the print bears the signature of Master F.P., a name that remains obscure in archival records. No documented ownership trail precedes its appearance in modern collections, and the work is primarily known through museum holdings and scholarly catalogues of early etchings.
Artist & collection
