Artwork
The Hunting of the Crocodile and Hippopotamus
The Hunting of the Crocodile and Hippopotamus is a print by Pieter Claesz Soutman. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This early‑modern print, executed on paper around 1650, translates a composition originally devised by Peter Paul Rubens into a graphic image. The work portrays a violent encounter between humans and two massive beasts—a crocodile and a hippopotamus—set on a rocky shoreline. The scene is densely populated with figures, animals and a Latin inscription that functions as a narrative caption.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a chaotic hunt in which mounted riders thrust spears at a massive crocodile while another horse rears beside a struggling hippopotamus.
The image captures a chaotic hunt in which mounted riders thrust spears at a massive crocodile while another horse rears beside a struggling hippopotamus. Ground‑level combatants grapple with weapons, their bodies intertwined with the beasts’ limbs. The composition suggests a dramatic, perhaps allegorical, struggle between civilization and untamed nature, emphasizing the peril and vigor of the chase.
Technique & Style
Rendered by Pieter Claesz Soutman, the print employs fine line work and cross‑hatching to model volume and convey movement. The dense arrangement of figures creates a tangled visual rhythm, while the contrast of light and shadow enhances the sense of turmoil. A Latin legend runs along the bottom edge, integrating text and image in a manner typical of 17th‑century narrative prints.
History & Provenance
The print is a reproduction after a Rubens drawing, produced by the Dutch‑Flemish artist Pieter Claesz Soutman, who was active in the mid‑17th century. Its creation around 1650 places it within the broader tradition of disseminating Rubens’ designs through prints, allowing the dramatic composition to reach a wider audience beyond the original painting or drawing.
Artist & collection
