The Creation of Animals
1673
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
William Faithorne
William Faithorne (1616–1691) was a British artist, born in Greater London.
See the richer artist page1673
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Creation of Animals is a 1673 ink by William Faithorne, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white engraving shows a bearded man in robes pointing toward a busy scene below. The sky is packed with stars, a comet streaks across, and a sun with a face watches from above. On the ground, people and animals move in a chaotic mix—some ride horses, others herd sheep, and a few figures seem to be rising from the earth. The title at the bottom reads *Historia Naturæ*, hinting this isn’t just a landscape but a story about how nature works. The tiny details—like the flying lizard or the tiny buildings—make the scene feel alive, even though it’s just lines on paper. If you like this style, look up engraving to see how artists used sharp tools to create such precise images.
William Faithorne (1616–1691) was a British artist, born in Greater London.
See the richer artist page
