Artwork
Shepherd with a Platerspiel
Shepherd with a Platerspiel is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Benedetto Montagna. It dates from 1508 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Shepherd with a Platerspiel is an engraving created by Benedetto Montagna around 1508. It exemplifies the artist's skill in printmaking, a medium in which he worked prolifically from about 1500 to the early 1520s.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts a solitary shepherd playing a platerspiel, a stringed instrument, in a serene wooded setting. The scene is characterized by a sense of calm and subtle mystery, with a distant landscape featuring a stone bridge and mountains.
Technique & Style
Montagna achieved depth and detail in the engraving through the use of fine lines and shading. The work is representative of his characteristic style, which is marked by a high level of tonal nuance and precision.
History & Provenance
Benedetto Montagna was the son and pupil of painter Bartolomeo Montagna. He took over his father's workshop in the early 1520s, after a period of significant productivity as an engraver.
Artist & collection
Artist
Benedetto Montagna (c. 1480–1555/58) was an Italian engraver and painter. Montagna was born in Vicenza, the son of the leading painter of the city, Bartolomeo Montagna, with whom he trained and perhaps continued to…
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