Moeraskikkers before 1650

This is "Moeraskikkers" or "Marsh Frogs," an engraving by Antonio Tempesta, created around the late 16th to early 17th century, now housed in the Rijksmuseum. The composition, divided horizontally, presents three frogs in different poses, each meticulously detailed with fine, precise lines. Notice how Tempesta uses hatching and cross-hatching to create a sense of depth and texture, bringing a palpable three-dimensionality to the frogs' skin and the surrounding landscape. Tempesta employs a system of signs in his visual language, drawing upon the established naturalistic conventions of his time, but also subtly transforming them. The placement of the frogs within a landscape—a structured composition with specific plants, water, and distant mountains—creates a stage upon which these creatures are displayed. Consider the formal qualities of the engraving, where each line and shadow is carefully orchestrated. Tempesta not only captures the scientific essence of his subjects, but also engages in a philosophical discourse, inviting viewers to ponder the nature of representation itself.