The seven vices (1558)

Dated 1558, "The seven vices" is an artwork by Pieter van der Heyden. Background on Drawings: Artists have long used drawings to plan paintings, sculptures, and buildings, so a sketch can show how an idea developed. Because line carries so much of the effect, drawings tend to reward close looking at the quality of the mark. About the period around 1558: Elsewhere, the Mughal court in India developed a distinctive tradition of miniature painting, and printed images continued to travel widely between countries. The sixteenth century includes the High Renaissance in Italy, the Mannerist generation that followed it, and the Northern Renaissance of artists such as Dürer, Holbein, and Bruegel. The catalogue places it in Drawings. The format is landscape.

Everything for "The seven vices" arrives digitally: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI. Once payment is confirmed, an email brings the download link, and from there you decide how to print it, whether at home, at a print shop, or through an online service. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Drawings and sketches stand out through line clarity and a sense of the artist process, which makes them a natural fit for minimalist, monochrome, and graphic interiors. Matching the frame to the image proportions avoids cropping. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size.

Dutch, 1530

If you like the visual language of Pieter van der Heyden, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.