Brooch with Table-Stones, Flying Scorpions at Top, and Dogs at Bottom 1596

This print, made around the turn of the 17th century by Daniel Mignot, is an etching, a kind of print produced from an acid-etched metal plate. The print, like many others of the era, was not intended as a work of art, but rather, as a template for a goldsmith. Mignot was a goldsmith himself, and his trade speaks to the growth of mercantile capitalism in Europe at this time. The print demonstrates the refined tastes of the upper classes, as well as the skill of artisans. We see winged scorpions and dog-like griffins, fantastic beasts that evoke a sense of wonder and opulence. The rigid symmetry speaks to the formal expectations of courtly life. Ultimately, the image reminds us of the integral relationship between commerce, class, and culture in early modern Europe, a relationship that is ripe for exploration using surviving documentary records from the era.