Hyena before 1650

"Hyena" is a 17th-century etching by Italian artist Antonio Tempesta, depicting a hyena in a naturalistic pose. The print, now in the Rijksmuseum, captures the animal's spotted coat and muscular form with meticulous detail. Tempesta, renowned for his animal studies and engravings, was a significant figure in the development of natural history illustration. The etching exemplifies the burgeoning scientific interest in the natural world during this period.