Playing Cards

c. 1470

Italian 15th Century

Associated Names
The image shows playing card designs with figures in medieval attire and motifs. The drawing is divided into multiple rectangular sections, each featuring a figure representing elements commonly found in a deck of cards, such as kings or knights. The figures are depicted with attributes hinting at royalty or nobility, seated on ornate thrones or standing with regal posture, holding items like swords or scepters. The drawing has a style reminiscent of early European woodcuts, with simplified lines and a focus on decorative details. The figures are drawn with hatching to suggest depth and texture, in a linear fashion. The overall aesthetic is medieval, focusing on costume details typical of a historical or legendary context.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    woodcut

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 38.5 × 24.5 cm (15 3/16 × 9 5/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1944.8.20

  • Series Title

    Playing Cards [1944.8.19-24]


Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

1950

  • Rosenwald Collection: An Exhibition of Recent Accessions of Prints and Drawings, NGA, 1950, no. 23.

Wikidata ID

Q65018928

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