Altered and Adorned

Today Renaissance-era prints are typically preserved behind glass or in solander boxes in museums, but these decorative objects were once a central part of everyday life. "Altered and Adorned" is a delightful, surprising look at how prints were used to create sewing patterns, affixed on walls, glued into albums and books, and in some instances even annotated, handcoloured, or cut apart. This handsome volume introduces readers to the experimental world of printmaking in the mid-15th and 16th centuries and the array of objects it inspired, from illustrated books and sculptures to etched armour and printed sundials. It features many never-before-published treasures from the Art Institute of Chicago's rich permanent collection, along with essays on such topics as three-dimensional scientific prints and how famous paintings were reproduced on functional objects such as playing cards.