12461 Johannes Stradanus (1523–1605) – Hunting Rabbits with Smoke and Ferrets – Engraving (1578)
"Fussibus aut telis, densa aut fuligine fumi". This late sixteenth-century engraving illustrates traditional methods for hunting rabbits in a rural landscape. The composition depicts hunters using a combination of techniques, including the use of smoke to drive rabbits out of their burrows and nets placed over the holes to capture them as they emerge. Dogs and ferrets are shown assisting in the hunt, while figures in the foreground manage the smoking equipment and collect the catch. The scene provides a detailed record of Renaissance era pest control and hunting practices, captured with characteristic Flemish attention to landscape and genre detail. This plate is part of the influential series Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium, published in Antwerp by Philip Galle.
Johannes Stradanus, born Jan van der Straet, was a Flemish artist who spent most of his career in Florence working for the Medici family. He was a versatile designer of tapestries, frescoes, and prints, known for his ability to synthesize Northern European detail with Italian Mannerist style. His most enduring legacy is the Venationes series, for which he provided the original drawings that were subsequently engraved by the skilled members of the Collaert and Galle workshops. Stradanus’s work was instrumental in popularizing natural history and sporting subjects across Europe during the Renaissance.
Artist or Maker: Jan Collaert II (Engraver); Johannes Stradanus (Artist).
Dimensions: Approximately 26 cm x 31 cm.
Medium: Engraving.
Date: 1578.
Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.
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