An Elephant with Howdah
Martin Schongauer · c. 1485 · Cleveland Museum of Art
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From the museum
This print shows an elephant carrying a crenellated and fortified basket—the howdah—from which two very small human figures peer out. In 1483, an elephant was brought to Germany and taken from town to town to be exhibited as a curiosity. It is likely that Martin Schongauer and his brother Ludwig, who were living in Ulm at that time, witnessed the arrival of this exotic animal. While he may have seen the elephant in person, Schongauer's portrayal—with its twisted trunk and shell-like ear—was likely made from memory rather than direct study of the beast. The howdah is a carriage placed on the back of an elephant and used to transport wealthy people during hunting and warfare.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0
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Details
- Maker
- Martin Schongauer (German, c. 1450–1491)
- Date
- c. 1485
- Medium
- engraving
- Dimensions
- Sheet: 10.8 x 14.6 cm (4 1/4 x 5 3/4 in.)
- Place of origin
- Germany
- Held by
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · Not on view
- Credit line
- Dudley P. Allen Fund
Image: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0
More by Martin Schongauer
Shown in
- Eight Masters of the PrintOct 14, 1980 – Jan 18, 1981
- 15th Century German EngravingsNov 15, 1938 – Dec 11, 1938
- Inaugural Exhibition of the New Print Gallery - Prints from the Museum CollectionAug 10, 1938 – Nov 13, 1938
- 15th Century German and Netherlands Prints from the Museum CollectionOct 11, 1935 – Oct 28, 1935
- Italian and German Prints of the 15th CenturyNov 29, 1933 – Jan 3, 1934
