The Finding of Moses, with Hedgehog, Seal, Lobster, and Bird - Adriaen Collaert

A detailed sixteenth-century engraving by Adriaen Collaert, featuring a biblical scene surrounded by a decorative border of animals and flowers.

This engraving by Adriaen Collaert, after a design by Hans Bol, represents the meticulous approach to printmaking common in the late sixteenth-century Low Countries. The central scene depicts the biblical narrative of the finding of Moses, set within a wider, expansive view of a coastal town and rocky cliffs. The composition follows the conventions of the period, where the primary subject is integrated into a broader, atmospheric environment.

The most distinctive feature of this work is the decorative border. It functions as a frame, populated by a variety of natural history subjects including a hedgehog, a seal, lobsters, and various birds, interspersed with floral motifs. This inclusion of flora and fauna reflects the contemporary interest in natural philosophy and the classification of the natural world, a theme often explored by the Collaert family of engravers. The contrast between the narrative centre and the encyclopaedic border creates a visual dialogue between human history and the natural environment.

Adriaen Collaert was a member of a prominent family of printmakers based in Antwerp. His technical proficiency is evident in the fine lines used to render the textures of the animals and the distant architectural details of the town. The engraving demonstrates the precision required for such detailed work, which was intended for a discerning audience of collectors and scholars. The collaboration with Hans Bol, who provided the invention or design, was a standard practice in the Antwerp print trade, allowing for a division of labour that ensured high-quality output. This print remains a fine example of the intersection between religious iconography and the burgeoning scientific curiosity of the Renaissance period.