1597
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
A Giraffe, a Chameleon, a Civet, and an Antelope is a 1597 ink by Adriaen Collaert, a Renaissance work, depicting Animalia, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows four exotic animals drawn in tight rows. A giraffe stands tall on the left, with a chameleon curling below it. Next to them are a civet and an antelope, all pressed close together. The artist copied these creatures from real specimens. He worked in Antwerp, where zoos were new and popular. Engravings let people study animals without traveling. Look at the giraffe’s spotted neck—every dot is cut with tiny lines. Try the same trick yourself.
Adriaen Collaert (1560–1618) was a Flemish artist, born in Antwerp.
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