Alphabet im Traum Pl.04

Giuseppe Maria Mitelli

1683

Alphabet im Traum Pl.04 by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli, 1683

Imagine trying to spell out the alphabet with your body while balancing a giant bird—that's exactly what's happening here. A kneeling man arches his back dramatically to support a long-necked crane, together forming a perfect letter 'C' as the bird snacks on a snake. Floating around this strange acrobatic duo are random lips, mustaches, and a horse, giving the scene a distinct dreamlike quality. This is a plate from Giuseppe Maria Mitelli’s 'Alfabeto in sogno' (Alphabet in a Dream), a series of surreal etchings from 1683 that playfully predate the Surrealist movement by over two centuries.

Technique
Etching
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