Alphabet in a Dream Pl.12
1683
Giuseppe Maria Mitelli cooked up this surreal scene for his 1683 book 'Alfabeto in sogno' (Alphabet in a Dream), turning a simple lesson into a Baroque fever dream. Centered around the letter 'L' (marked at the bottom), the page features a majestic lion at the top and a daring acrobat balancing precariously on a curved sword. But look closer at those floating arms—they're holding drawing tools, and the Italian text at the bottom is actually a pep talk for painters about mastering light and shadow. It’s a fascinating mix of a children's alphabet book and a serious art manual!
- Technique
- etching
- Material
- paper