Fries met hoorns des overvloeds c. 1680 - 1690

This print, “Fries met hoorns des overvloeds” (Frieze with Cornucopias), was produced by an anonymous artist, and its function was as an ornament. Looking at this image, we might consider the social and cultural meanings of ornament in its own time. It’s important to note that, even when unsigned, artworks like this one play a role in shaping taste and design. Consider, for instance, how it takes up a classical visual trope, the cornucopia, but gives it a new, modern spin. The Dutch Republic, where this was made, was a commercial society, and images of abundance spoke to its own sense of prosperity and trade. As art historians, we have to look into the prints and pattern books to understand this image, tracing the movement of visual ideas across Europe and understanding the cultural and social role that images played in the early modern world.