Hearing (Auditus) - Cornelis Cort

A detailed 16th-century engraving by Cornelis Cort representing the sense of hearing through a collection of musical instruments and a stag.

This engraving by Cornelis Cort, titled Auditus (Hearing), forms part of a series depicting the Five Senses. Cort, a Dutch engraver who spent his later years in Italy, was instrumental in disseminating the works of Titian and other masters through his precise technical skill. In this composition, the sense of hearing is represented by a central female figure surrounded by an array of musical instruments, including a lute, a viol, a set of bagpipes, and a pipe organ. A stag rests beside her, an animal traditionally associated with acute hearing in Renaissance iconography. The Latin inscription at the base explains the physiological process of sound perception, connecting the external ear to the nerves leading to the brain. The work demonstrates the high level of detail achievable through copperplate engraving, with careful cross-hatching used to define the textures of the drapery, the fur of the stag, and the polished surfaces of the instruments. The arrangement of objects creates a sense of depth, while the inclusion of musical notation and various acoustic devices provides a comprehensive visual catalogue of the auditory experience as understood in the sixteenth century. Cort's ability to translate complex allegorical concepts into clear, readable imagery made his prints highly sought after by collectors and scholars across Europe. This piece reflects the period's interest in human anatomy and the classification of sensory experience, presented with the technical rigour characteristic of the Dutch school of printmaking.