Dieren van Java, 1596 1597 - 1646

"Dieren van Java, 1596" is an anonymous 17th-century etching depicting a collection of exotic animals from Java. The print, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, showcases a rhinoceros, elephant, crocodile, armadillo, and turtle, arranged against a mountainous landscape, providing insight into European perceptions of the Indonesian archipelago during the Dutch Golden Age. This detailed engraving exemplifies the scientific curiosity and fascination with the natural world that characterized this era.