Drie zeetongen op het strand - Albert Flamen

A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Albert Flamen, depicting three soles on a beach with a coastal maritime scene in the background.

This etching by Albert Flamen, a Flemish artist active in Paris, depicts three common soles resting upon a sandy shore. The work belongs to a series of prints documenting aquatic life, reflecting the seventeenth-century fascination with natural history and the classification of species. Flamen employs a precise etching technique to render the texture of the fish, using cross-hatching to define the scales and the flattened anatomy of the creatures.

The composition balances the scientific observation of the fish in the foreground with a wider maritime view. In the distance, ships sail upon the horizon, while a small coastal town with a church spire is visible on the right. The inclusion of shells on the sand adds a sense of place, grounding the subjects within their natural environment. The Latin and French inscription, 'Solea sive Lingulaca. La Solle', identifies the species, confirming the print's function as both an aesthetic object and an educational record.

Flamen was known for his ability to capture the anatomical details of birds and fish with clarity. His work often appeared in sets, providing collectors with a visual catalogue of the natural world. The presence of the phrase 'cum privilegio Regis' indicates that the print was produced under royal authority, a common practice for protecting the rights of engravers and publishers during this period. This print offers a glimpse into the intersection of art and science in the mid-seventeenth century, where the observation of nature was a subject of serious study and artistic endeavour.