A 19thC leather sculpture of the famous 17thC Asian elephant 'Hansken', on an ebonised wooden base 38 x 52 x 24 cm. (14.96 x 20.46 x 9.44 in.)

拍品描述

A 19thC leather sculpture of the famous 17thC Asian elephant 'Hansken', on an ebonised wooden base The labels on the base: - Inventory number '1214' - Inscription 'Hansken 1630-1655' The Asian elephant Hansken was famous across Europe. As the only living elephant mid-17thC, she was taken across cities and courts as a rarity. Rembrandt and other artists drew her portrait. This 19thC sculpture of Hansken is an example of the renewed interest in naturalia and the start of museum collections.