Animals — engravings

Images of animals represent one of the most ancient and universal themes in the history of art. From Stone Age rock engravings, where prehistoric artists depicted bison, rhinoceroses, and antelopes with remarkable precision , to the refined prints of the modern era—animals have always accompanied humanity, both in real life and in the world of symbols.

In European printmaking, the animalistic genre flourished during the Renaissance. The great Albrecht Dürer created engravings where animals served not merely as parts of nature but as bearers of profound symbolic meaning. In his famous engraving "Adam and Eve," the cat, rabbit, ox, and elk represent the four human temperaments disrupted after the Fall.

Scientific and encyclopedic publications constitute a special chapter. The work of the French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon, "Natural History," on which he labored for 40 years, included magnificent engravings depicting lions, tigers, lynxes, and other members of the cat family.

In late 18th-century England, Thomas Bewick created the monumental work "A General History of Quadrupeds" (1790), presenting engravings of over four hundred animals—from anteater to zebra. His innovative wood engraving technique allowed text and images to be published on the same page, ushering in a new era in book illustration.

A completely different perspective on the animal world is offered by Japanese ukiyo-e prints. During the Edo period (1615–1868), masters such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Kawanabe Kyōsai created remarkable depictions of cats—furry little creatures that frolic, play, and live their lives, unashamedly ignoring humans.

In animal printmaking, creatures appear in various guises: as objects of scientific study, as heroes of fables and legends, as symbols of human qualities, and simply as our smaller brothers and sisters, whom we have observed with delight for many centuries.