Otter met een vis in zijn bek 1612

This small-scale drawing, "Otter met een vis in zijn bek" (Otter with a Fish in Its Mouth), was created by Gerard ter Borch in 1612. The work depicts a detailed and realistic portrayal of an otter, its brown fur meticulously rendered, as it grasps a fish with its teeth. The drawing, housed in the Rijksmuseum, is a prime example of the meticulous observation and skillful draughtsmanship characteristic of ter Borch's early works. The drawing's modest size further exemplifies its function as a study or preparatory work for a larger painting or an anatomical examination of the animal.