Frieze Design with Acanthus Scrolls, Hybrid Creatures and a Winged Putto 1540 - 1560

Andrés de Melgar made this pen and brown ink drawing, Frieze Design with Acanthus Scrolls, Hybrid Creatures and a Winged Putto, at an unknown date. Melgar, who was active in Spain in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, was creating a study for ornamentation, likely for application to architecture or decorative art. Friezes such as this one, featuring classical motifs such as acanthus leaves and putti, were common in Renaissance design, reflecting a renewed interest in classical forms. In this drawing, Melgar blends classical elements with more fantastical creatures, reflecting the cultural fusion characteristic of Spain at the time, deeply involved with global trade and colonial expansion. The drawing reflects the artistic exchanges of the period, when artists were actively engaged in reinterpreting classical forms to suit contemporary tastes. To understand the context of this design, scholars can look at architectural pattern books and prints circulating at the time. These sources help us understand the cultural and institutional forces that shaped artistic production in Melgar's Spain.