Gordeldier before 1650

"Gordeldier," a 17th-century etching by Italian artist Antonio Tempesta, is a detailed depiction of an armadillo. The artwork, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, highlights Tempesta's interest in natural history and his skillful use of hatching to create a sense of volume and texture on the animal's shell. This small-scale print demonstrates Tempesta's mastery of the art of etching, a technique popular during this period for its ability to capture fine detail and render naturalistic subjects with precision. The image showcases a detailed representation of the armadillo's anatomy, highlighting the animal's distinctive bony shell composed of overlapping plates, its sharp claws, and its elongated snout.