Moerasschildpad before 1650

This detailed engraving, "Moerasschildpad," by the Italian artist Antonio Tempesta, depicts a swamp turtle. Created before 1650, the artwork showcases Tempesta's expertise in natural history illustration. The image displays a meticulous rendering of the turtle’s shell and limbs, and its realistic depiction contributed to the growing interest in zoological studies during the Renaissance. Now housed at the Rijksmuseum, the print exemplifies the importance of scientific illustration in the dissemination of knowledge in the early modern period.