Africa (from the Four Continents series) - Adriaen Collaert

An allegorical engraving by Adriaen Collaert depicting the personification of Africa riding a crocodile, based on a design by Maerten de Vos.

This engraving by Adriaen Collaert forms part of a series depicting the four continents, a popular subject in late sixteenth-century European print culture. The composition is based on a design by Maerten de Vos, a prolific Antwerp artist whose work frequently provided the basis for such allegorical cycles.

The central figure, representing Africa, is depicted as a female personification seated atop a large crocodile. She holds a branch, a common iconographic element in these allegories, while the surrounding environment is populated by fauna associated with the continent in the European imagination of the period. Elephants, lions, and various exotic creatures populate the background, which also features architectural markers such as an obelisk and distant pyramids.

Collaert employs a precise, controlled engraving technique to define the textures of the crocodile scales, the drapery of the figure, and the varied terrain. The work reflects the Mannerist interest in complex, staged compositions where human figures and natural elements are arranged to convey specific symbolic meanings. The Latin inscription at the base provides a poetic description of the continent, reinforcing the allegorical nature of the image. As a master of the burin, Collaert successfully translates the fluid lines of de Vos into a structured, monochromatic print that balances anatomical detail with the fantastical elements typical of the era. The print serves as a record of how European artists of the late Renaissance conceptualised distant lands through a lens of classical mythology and contemporary exploration.