Alphabet in a Dream Pl.01
1683
Giuseppe Maria Mitelli invites us into a bizarre dreamscape in this 1683 engraving, the title page for his 'Alphabet in a Dream.' Picture an exhausted art student, palette and brushes scattered on the floor, fast asleep against a stack of heavy books. As he dozes, his mind conjures a giant letter 'A' that doubles as an easel, surrounded by floating disembodied eyes, ears, and mouths held up by mischievous cherubs. This playful scene introduces a drawing manual where Mitelli teaches art through surreal alphabetic figures, blending Baroque instruction with a touch of early surrealism.
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- Engraving
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