Artwork

An elaborate cartouche with the Medici Arms flanked by Justice and Prudence

An elaborate cartouche with the Medici Arms flanked by Justice and Prudence is a drawing by the Baroque artist Bernardino Poccetti. It dates from 1610 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This drawing is a late work by Poccetti, created between 1607 and 1612.

About this work

This drawing shows Justice and Prudence flanking the Medici arms under a grand ducal crown.

This drawing shows Justice and Prudence flanking the Medici arms under a grand ducal crown. Poccetti made it between 1607 and 1612, late in his career. The sheet is squared for transfer—likely for a Medici tapestry or facade.

No one knows its exact use, though tapestries were common then. The first owner, a Flemish count, bought albums of Tuscan drawings in the 1700s.

Look up the technique called cross-hatching.

Overview

This drawing is a late work by Poccetti, created between 1607 and 1612. It features an elaborate cartouche with allegorical figures and the Medici arms.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts Justice and Prudence flanking the Medici arms under a grand ducal crown, symbolizing the virtues associated with the powerful Medici dynasty.

Technique & Style

The sheet is squared for transfer, indicating its intended use as a design for another medium. The drawing's style is characteristic of the early Baroque period, with detailed figures achieved through techniques such as cross-hatching, which creates shading and texture through closely spaced parallel lines.

History & Provenance

The drawing was first owned by the Comte d'Oultremont of Flanders, who acquired it in Tuscany in the 18th century as part of several albums of drawings, many of which were works by Poccetti.