Gestrande walvis bij Berckhey, 1598 1598

This 1598 engraving by an anonymous artist depicts a beached whale at Berckhey. The artwork, which measures 227 mm high and 291 mm wide, shows the whale's enormous size and the curious crowd that has gathered around it. The image offers a glimpse into the 16th-century fascination with the natural world, particularly with marine life, and serves as a historical document of the encounter between man and nature. The detailed depiction of the whale's anatomy and the surrounding environment adds to the realism of the scene.