Hert before 1650

Antonio Tempesta created this small engraving of a stag, now in the Rijksmuseum, sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. During Tempesta's lifetime, the cultural imagination was captivated by the natural world, and his detailed rendering brings us into that historical context. The image is both representational and symbolic: the stag was often depicted as a symbol of nobility and grace, embodying virtues prized by the aristocracy of the time. However, Tempesta’s stag exists within a complex, even contradictory framework. Look closely, and you may notice that the stag has an unusual number of points on its antlers, as well as an odd, star-like marking on its forehead. These details suggest a belief that the stag was not just an animal, but a magical creature. This reflects the era's fascination with the intersection of the natural and supernatural, and invites us to consider our relationship with the natural world.