French early 16th Century

The artist designated as French early 16th Century was an unidentified draftsman active circa 1512. This designation represents an anonymous hand whose style reflects the transitional period of the early French Renaissance. The documented works attributed to this individual consist exclusively of drawings, with fifteen pieces currently represented in museum collections.

These historically significant drawings are preserved in the holdings of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. The compositions often deal with explicit proverbial or moralizing content, suggesting the works may have served an instructional or didactic purpose within the period’s visual culture. Specific examples include the precisely rendered sheets titled "Do Not Give Your Right Hand to All and Sundry," "Do Not Eat Your Heart Out," and "Do Not Eat Beans." Other notable drawings include "Always Have the Bedclothes Folded up" and "Do Not Break the Crown."

While the author’s identity remains unknown, the surviving corpus offers valuable insight into the drawing practices of the time. As representative examples of French early 16th Century prints and related works on paper, these pieces document the thematic interests prevalent at the beginning of the Renaissance in France. Given their historical age and status, many of these images reside in the public domain, making high-quality prints and reproductions of the drawings accessible for academic and private study.