Kupferstichkabinett, Kunstmuseum Basel

Explore Selected Works

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode, Bird Dropping Blinding Tobit, c. 1565, etching and engraving on laid paper, Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1975.65.2

Bird Dropping Blinding Tobit

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode · c. 1565 · etching and engraving on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1975.65.2

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode, Tobias and the Angel Arriving at Raguel's House, c. 1565, etching and engraving on laid paper, Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1975.65.5

Tobias and the Angel Arriving at Raguel's House

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode · c. 1565 · etching and engraving on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1975.65.5

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode, The Departure of the Angel, c. 1565, etching and engraving on laid paper, Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1975.65.7

The Departure of the Angel

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode · c. 1565 · etching and engraving on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1975.65.7

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode, The Homecoming of Tobias, c. 1565, etching and engraving on laid paper, Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1975.65.6

The Homecoming of Tobias

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode · c. 1565 · etching and engraving on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1975.65.6

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode, Tobias Taking Leave of his Parents, c. 1565, etching and engraving on laid paper, Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1975.65.3

Tobias Taking Leave of his Parents

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode · c. 1565 · etching and engraving on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1975.65.3

Printed with black lines on cream-white paper, a rhinoceros facing our right in profile fills this horizontal woodcut. The rhinoceros’s horn touches the border to the right and its hindquarters the left. Its left foot, farther from us, stands slightly ahead of its right hoof. Its front feet are close together and its head is lowered. Chunky, armor-like plates covering its body are patterned in some areas, especially on its legs and belly, with rings and dots, creating a mottled effect. The skin on its legs is scaly like a fish or reptile. A short, twisted, unicorn-like horn grows from between its shoulders, and the animal’s lower lip and the ear we see is fuzzy with short hairs. Near the upper right, in the corner near the animal's shoulders, the print is inscribed, “1515 RHINOCERVS.” Below, the artist’s initials appear as a monogram, with an upper case D tucked within the legs of an A. Five rows of tightly spaced German writing runs across the top edge of the paper, above the single-line border framing the animal. It reads, "Nach Christus gepurt. 1513. Jar. Adi. 1. May. Hat man dem groszmechtigen Kunig von Portugall Emanuell gen Lysabona pracht ausz India ein sollich lebendig Thier. Das nennen sie Rhinocerus. Das ist hye mit aller seiner gestalt Abconderfet. Es hat ein farb wie ein gespreckelte Schildtkrot. Und ist von dicken Schalen uberlegt fast fest. Und ist in der grösz als der Helfandt Aber nydertrechtiger von paynen und fast werhafftig. Es hat ein scharff starck Horn vorn auff der nasen Das Begyndt es albeg zu werzen wo es Bey staynen ist. Das dosig Thier ist des Helffantz todt feyndt. Der Helffandt furcht es fast ubel dann wo es In ankumbt so laufft Im das Thier mit dem kopff zwischen dye fordern payn und reyst den Helffandt unden am pauch auff un erwürgt In des mag er sich nit erwern. Dann das Thier ist also gewapent das Im der Helffandt nichts kan thun. Sie sagen auch das der Rhynocerus Schnell Fraydig und Listig sey."
Albrecht Dürer, The Rhinoceros, 1515, woodcut on laid paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1964.8.697

The Rhinoceros

Albrecht Dürer · 1515 · woodcut on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1964.8.697

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode, Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris, c. 1565, etching and engraving on laid paper, Andrew W. Mellon Fund, 1975.65.4

Tobias Catching the Fish in the River Tigris

Johannes van Doetechum the Elder, Lucas van Doetechum, Gerard de Jode · c. 1565 · etching and engraving on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1975.65.4