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The Morris Dancers

A work made of engraving in black on ivory laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving in black on ivory laid paper.

Date:

n.d.

Artist:

Israhel van Meckenem the Younger
German, c. 1440/45-1503

About this artwork

The Morris Dance is a folk dance still practiced in England today. Here the roundel shape of Meckenem’s engraving echoes the pattern of the cavorting dancers, as they encircle a young woman holding a ring. The poses are intentionally exaggerated, especially that of the fool at left. The dance, which may have originated in medieval Spain, was a popular court spectacle, as the merry throng of onlookers at the window suggests.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Israhel van Meckenem, the younger

Title

The Morris Dancers

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Artist's working dates 1465–1503

Medium

Engraving in black on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

Plate/sheet: 17.2 × 17.2 cm (6 13/16 × 6 13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Clarence Buckingham Collection

Reference Number

1936.174

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/22656/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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