Vier degengevesten en twee putti 1615

Antoine Jacquard created this print of four sword hilts and two putti sometime between 1620 and 1650. Prints like this one, now in the Rijksmuseum, played a key role in artistic production at this time. In 17th-century Europe, there was a growing market for luxury goods. Artisans relied on prints like this one to promote their craft and disseminate design ideas. Ornament prints provided models for sophisticated details, and helped to disseminate new styles across Europe. As a result, the print market helped to drive innovation and create trends in sword design. The images on the sword hilts reflect classical influences. The putti and mythological figures suggest the patron may have been of high social standing. Examining prints alongside inventories, guild records, and other archival materials helps us to understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production and consumption in the early modern period.