Marter before 1650

Antonio Tempesta created this engraving called 'Marter' sometime between 1570 and 1630. During the late 16th and early 17th centuries, there was a burgeoning interest in the natural world. This piece reflects a cultural moment where the scientific observation of animals began to merge with artistic representation. Here, Tempesta presents a marten, an animal often associated with the wilderness. His choice of subject offers a glimpse into the relationship between humans and the natural world during the Renaissance. Martens, valued for their fur, were also creatures of the hunt, embodying both economic resource and wild, untamed nature. How might the experience of encountering this image shift, depending on whether you were a hunter, a fur trader, or simply someone living alongside these animals? Ultimately, Tempesta's 'Marter' is not just a depiction of an animal. It is a reflection of how we perceive, interact with, and assign value to the creatures with which we share our world.