Description
Fleur-de-Lis Silverpoint Stylus
This silverpoint is our own design, created as a tribute to Florence and its heraldic emblem, the fleur-de-lis, in honor of the city that produced some of the greatest Renaissance draftsmen. Its materials and function are based on documented textual sources and modern research into Renaissance drawing tools, while its form, topped with the Florentine lily, is an original creation of Ars Pictoria.
The brass body is topped with a Florentine lily and carries a single point of sterling silver. Being single-sided, this stylus is smaller, lighter, and more accessible in price than our premium reconstructions, without compromising on the quality of line silverpoint is known for.
Silverpoint allowed artists of the Renaissance to create drawings of unsurpassed elegance and beauty. Its precise, crisp line and delicate tone are recognizable at first glance in the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Dürer, Holbein, and other artists. Drawing with this instrument opens a direct, intimate connection to the techniques of the great masters.
Specifications
- Tip: Sterling Silver (925 Silver)
- Body: Brass
- Made in Italy
The Research Behind This Design
This is to certify that the Fleur-de-Lis Silverpoint is an original work, combining a reconstruction of a historical tool with a design of our own creation. Its materials and function are based on documented textual sources and modern research into Renaissance drawing tools, while its form is an original tribute to Florence and its heraldic emblem.
Ars Pictoria’s mission is to keep Renaissance artistry alive through living practice, passing it on the way it has always been transmitted, from hand to hand, so that everyone who draws with one of our tools becomes part of that transmission. This design has been tested in Gleb Shtyrmer’s own studio and through teaching numerous students in workshops and courses. Ars Pictoria’s reconstructions are endorsed by art historians, artists, and curators, on permanent display in museums, including the Leonardo3 Museum and the San Marco Museum in Florence, and featured in Ken Burns’s Leonardo da Vinci documentary.
The Makers
Our family studio in the Florence area is where the production takes place. Sayaka Shtyrmer is the artisan who refines the wax models, preparing them for lost-wax casting, then cuts, solders, and finishes the brass and silver parts by hand. Gleb Shtyrmer conceives the designs, researches their historical sources, and curates the production from first sketch to final piece.
Each piece is cast through the lost-wax method in small batches, then individually assembled, polished, and finished by hand, a human touch that makes every tool unique. Even the packaging is handmade in our studio, using premium paper.
A Brief History of Silverpoint Drawing
Cennino Cennini’s Il Libro dell’Arte, written in the late 14th century, describes the silverpoint technique essentially as it survives today: a fine silver point drawn across a panel or paper prepared with a bone-ash ground, producing a precise, delicate line that cannot be erased or corrected. Silver was the most common choice, though styluses were also made from other metals such as lead and gold; today, all of these are grouped under the broader term metalpoint. This immediacy and permanence made silverpoint drawing prized across Europe through the 15th and 16th centuries, used by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Dürer, and many others.
Florence stood at the center of this tradition, home to many of the artists who brought silverpoint drawing to its highest expression. This design pays tribute to that legacy through the city’s own heraldic symbol, the fleur-de-lis. Read more about the history and technique of silverpoint drawing →
Explore our other historical silverpoint styluses, including reconstructions based on Hugo van der Goes, Jan Gossaert, Rogier van der Weyden and Hans Cranach.
Handling and Care
Drawing tool for artistic use. Metal tip: handle with care, and keep out of reach of children under 14.
Natural patina. Unplated natural metals are used, so the surface will develop a natural patina over time. Full care instructions are included with the product.
Warranty
Every silverpoint comes with a 2-year warranty against manufacturing defects. See our Warranty & Returns page for full terms.
