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high resolution print file (alamy.com)Valerio Spada: Historiated Alphabet, 1656 – 1659 [N-Z] more
alphabets, lettering, historiated initials, backgrounds, wallpaper
Valerio Spada was a contemporary of Stefano della Bella. This Historiated Alphabet—that is, this set of decorated initials with scenes in them – features scenes from seventeenth century Italy, mostly landscapes with figures (people) in them. Spada was known for combining miniature scenes with lettering or calligraphy.
Note that these letters are not perfectly square! The individual letters are (or will be) also available for free download.
The image dimensions given in the exhibition catalogue are 170x238mm (platemark), and 182x248mm for the whole sheet. The image was screened for print, and I have not found a better version. the Houghton Library, Department of Printing and Graphic Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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