1557
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Big Fish Eat the Little Fish is a 1557 ink by Pieter van der Heyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a giant fish swallowing boats, people, and buildings whole. The water is packed with smaller fish, some tangled in nets or floating helplessly. On land, a man on a hill holds a spear, watching as birds fly overhead and ships sink in the distance. The chaos mixes real life with fantasy—no one is safe, not even the tiny figures clinging to the fish’s belly. The artist packed in so many details that nothing feels normal. Want to see how this kind of picture was made? Look up engraving.
Pieter van der Heyden (c. 1530 - after March 1572) was a Flemish printmaker who is known for his reproductive engravings after works by leading Flemish painters and designers of the 16th century.
See the richer artist page
