Gestrande potvis op het strand te Noordwijk, 1614 Possibly 1614 - 1645

This etching by Esaias van de Velde, titled "Gestrande potvis op het strand te Noordwijk, 1614" (Beached whale on the beach at Noordwijk, 1614), depicts a beached whale on the shore of Noordwijk, the Netherlands. The artwork is dated sometime between 1614 and 1645, and is currently held in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The etching showcases the Dutch Golden Age fascination with natural wonders and the unusual, capturing the scene of the whale's discovery and the curious onlookers gathered to observe the enormous creature. The detailed rendering of the whale's body, the surrounding crowd, and the distant landscape highlights van de Velde's meticulous attention to detail. The work's small size further emphasizes the immense scale of the whale compared to the human figures, making it a striking example of a popular genre in 17th-century Dutch art.