The Brilliant Line: Following the Early Modern Engraver, 1480â€“1650 Exhibtion

mdengraver · Dec 17, 2009

The exhibit is currently on display at the Rhode Island School of Design for a couple of months.

You can analyze each drawing in the exhibit online layer by layer. The level of detail is extraordinary. Probably much of this was done without magnification which also blows me away. If you ask me I'd say this was perhaps the heyday of engraving for printmaking! It allows you to analyze the lines layer by layer as they were applied.

http://www.risdmuseum.org/exhibition.aspx?type=current&id=2147483925

http://www.risdmuseum.org/thebrilliantline/

Dmitry Martinov · Dec 17, 2009

This is just awesome !!!!! Thanx for the link mdengraver .
Very interesting to examine.

Arnaud Van Tilburgh · Dec 17, 2009

thank you for the link, nice to see

arnaud

Tira · Dec 17, 2009

That is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. I can see me spending a long time looking at the examples there. Thanks for the link!

mdengraver · Dec 17, 2009

Catologue for Exhibit Available for Purchase

PUBLICATION
Accompanying the exhibition, a 156-page catalogue, The Brilliant Line: Following the Early Modern Engraver, 1480-1650, includes over 150 images, with many magnified details of engraved lines, and three essays, by exhibition curator Emily J. Peters, Evelyn Lincoln (Associate Professor of Art History, Brown University), and Andrew Stein Raftery (Associate Professor of Printmaking, RISD). Topics addressed include how engravingâ€™s restrictive materials and the physical process of engraving itself informed its visual language; the context for the spread of particular engraving styles throughout Europe as well as their reception; and the interests, knowledge, and skills that Renaissance viewers applied when viewing and comparing engravings by style or school. The catalogue is published by the RISD Museum ($49.00 soft

jetta77 · Dec 17, 2009

I know Sam said we are living in the golden age of hand engraving, BUT we always forget about those who came before us. The work by these 16th and17th engravers is astounding to say the least. I bet they used some form of optics but nothing like the scopes we use today. If we can't beat this work, it says alot about our technology...:thumbs up::thumbs up::thumbs up:

Midway Cafe · Dec 18, 2009

Hello everyone,

I'm so glad this was posted. I'm planning on going to the exhibit on December 24th (there is no fee to get into the museum on that day) and will post my impressions of the live version. It only runs until January 3rd but I'm sure the online site will be around for awhile.

Tim

rod · Dec 19, 2009

mdengraver,

This is a fabulous reference you have given us, thank you!

As Tira says, plenty of excellent homework to study, and the magnifier gizmo is excellent. Whereas most metal engravers work on very small 'canvases', engravers preparing copper or woodblocks for prints worked on relatively large canvases, but not always. So this means that we reap the benefit of examining their individual tool cuts with great clarity.

Seasons Greetings!

Rod

mdengraver · Dec 19, 2009

Be sure to checkout ...............

Be sure to checkout the analyze line feature it gives you an example from each engraving of how all the cuts layer by layer were applied by the master engraver, for a simplified understanding of how light, shadow, and dimension were achieved. It also helps one develop a systematic method for developing there own images as they are engraved. It also breaks down the mystery of how great engravings are achieved.

mdengraver · Dec 20, 2009

Here's the Link to:

Here's the Link to: Order the accompanying publication the goes with the exhibit 150 pages.

http://www.risdworks.com/p-220-the-brilliant-line-following-the-early-modern-engraver-1480-1650.aspx

Midway Cafe · Dec 24, 2009

Wow, what an incredible exhibit! I'm still processing all the information and will probably be doing so for quite some time. If anyone has the opportunity to attend before Jan 3rd I would encourage them to do so. It will be heading to The Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art in Evanston Il http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/from April 9 to June 20, 2010 if anybody is in that area.

Best regards,

Tim

mdengraver · Dec 29, 2009

I just received my copy in the mail!

Just received my copy of the book "The Brilliant Line (Following the Early Modern Engraver 1480-1650". I highly recommend this book. The pictures of the engravings are suberb with many close-ups and discussion and historical context of engraving. This book will not disappoint. It should be a part of every engravers library!

Again Here's the Link to the publication:

http://www.risdworks.com/p-220-the-brilliant-line-following-the-early-modern-engraver-1480-1650.aspx

mdengraver · Jan 19, 2010

Write-up on "The Brilliant Line" exhibit

http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_ar...rn_engraver_at_rhode_island_school_of_design/

JJ Roberts · Mar 6, 2010

Ken, I receved my copy of the Brillant Line and hope this show comes to Washington D.C. Thanks for posting J.J. Roberts

mdengraver · Oct 26, 2010

The Brilliant Line Exhibition Checklist

The Brilliant Line Exhibition Checklist

http://risdmuseum.org/uploadedFiles...lliant Line Illustrated Checklist for Web.pdf

Steinar Fosback · Oct 28, 2010

I wish I possessed the skills to do something like that... :shock:

mdengraver · Feb 21, 2013

I'm posting this again because it has been awhile and I think people need to really look at this post closely, and for those that have not seen this before. The Rhode Island School of Design Exhibition did an amazing thing when they dissected artworks line by line to better understand the creative process and how a well executed piece of art emerges from conception to its' final realization as a work of art.

mdengraver · Feb 21, 2013

The Brilliant Line
http://www.printeresting.org/2009/09/22/the-brilliant-line/

rod · Feb 22, 2013

So glad you reminded us of this great reference source, Ken, thank you!

Rod

The Brilliant Line: Following the Early Modern Engraver, 1480â€“1650 Exhibtion

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