Zee-olifant met oren van bladeren 1580 - 1610

This fanciful creature – a “Zee-olifant met oren van bladeren” – was made by Giovanni Andrea Maglioli using an engraving technique. A metal plate, likely copper, was meticulously worked to create this hybrid animal. The engraver uses line work to create a texture to the surface of the creature, a cross-hatching technique that defines its form. Look at the way the artist employs a vocabulary of lines to describe the texture of the elephant's skin, the flow of water, and the detailed foliage. The image, though small, feels dense with information because of the mark-making. Engraving like this was a skilled, labor-intensive process, requiring the artist to master control of the burin. Consider how this process, rooted in craft, elevated the status of the print. It's a reminder that even within the world of fine art, the value of skill and the act of making have always been present.