Artwork
Elephant Fighting two Beasts
Elephant Fighting two Beasts is a print by the Renaissance artist Nicolaes de Bruyn. It dates from 1594 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Nicolaes de Bruyn, a Flemish engraver who trained in Antwerp before moving to the Dutch Republic, created the print *Elephant Fighting Two Beasts* in 1594. The image, an engraving now held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, portrays a large elephant locked in combat with two fantastical, horned creatures, their bodies intertwined on a dark, textured ground.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on an elephant on the right, its trunk coiled around a twisted beast, while a second creature snarls nearby. The juxtaposition of the elephant’s massive, composed form with the smaller, aggressive monsters suggests a narrative of dominance and struggle, drawing on the period’s fascination with exotic animals and mythic symbolism.
Technique & Style
De Bruyn employs strong chiaroscuro, using deep shadows and bold incised lines to give the figures a three‑dimensional, forceful presence. The contrast between the smooth, massive mass of the elephant and the sharp, jagged contours of the beasts highlights their differing natures and enhances the overall tension of the scene.
History & Provenance
Born into a family linked to the sugar trade, de Bruyn was the nephew of engraver Abraham de Bruyn, from whom he learned the craft. Though initially trained in his uncle’s method, he soon forged a personal style that diverged from his mentor’s. The print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection in the twentieth century, where it remains on view.
Context
Created during the late sixteenth century, the work reflects the era’s growing interest in travel literature and the exotic fauna of distant lands. Prints of elephants and other unusual creatures were popular among collectors, serving both as curiosities and as vehicles for allegorical interpretation within the broader European artistic tradition.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolaes de Bruyn (Antwerp, 1571 – Rotterdam, 1656) was a Flemish engraver, who after training in Antwerp was active in the Dutch Republic.
