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A playing card with a hand printed motif of crossed swords and a cat

On off-white card stock, a fine lined engraving depicts six swords with red handles and gold hilts. Three swords are arranged one above the other, with handles at the top right corner, their blades angled diagonally down toward the lower left. These cross over the remaining three which are arranged in mirrored fashion, angled down from the upper left, pointing to lower right. Below, a gray cat stands at center on green grass, facing left but turning its head toward us with a quizzical expression on its face. At center top, a gridded globe hovers all. Five concentric dotted lines form a border around the image.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
M2014
People
Unidentified Artist
Title
Playing Card: Six of Swords
Other Titles
Former Title: Card XXVII
Series/Book Title: Tarots Playing Cards for Florentine Game of Minchiate, Complete Set of 97 Cards
Classification
Prints
Work Type
print
Date
19th century
Places
Creation Place: Europe, Italy, Tuscany, Florence
Culture
Italian
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/251453

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Engraving with stenciled opaque watercolor on card
Technique
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 9.5 × 5.6 cm (3 3/4 × 2 3/16 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Edward W. Forbes, gift; to Fogg Art Museum, 1921

State, Edition, Standard Reference Number

Standard Reference Number
see W. G. Benham, pp. 5-7

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gift of Edward W. Forbes
Accession Year
1921
Object Number
M2014
Division
European and American Art
Contact
am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 2220 18th-19th Century, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 01/16/2020 - 07/30/2021

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of European and American Art at am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu