1737
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Hawks-bill Turtle (Testudo caretta) is a 1737 ink by Mark Catesby, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This turtle is lying on a flat surface, its shell detailed with tiny, precise lines. Its head is turned slightly, eyes wide and alert, with a nest of round eggs nearby. The colors are muted—earthy browns on the turtle, soft greenish-yellow for the background. The artist used a mix of etching and hand coloring to create this careful, scientific look. It’s not just a drawing; it’s a study of nature, almost like a field notebook. If you like this style, check out etching to see how artists use acid and needles to make prints.
Mark Catesby (24 March 1683 – 23 December 1749) was an English naturalist who studied the flora and fauna of the New World.
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