An Eagle Preaching to the Animals
16th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, over red chalk.
Dimensions
4 7/16 x 6 3/8 in. (11.3 x 16.2 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1952
Accession Number
52.570.214
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the whimsical drawing *An Eagle Preaching to Animals*, Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder a fantastical scene from the 16th, where a majestic eagle addresses a gathered audience of deer amid a leafy woodland setting. Created with pen and brown ink over red chalk, this work measures just 4 7/16 x 6 3/8 inches, showcasing the artist's precision in a compact format ideal for sketches or collector's pieces. Gheeraerts, a Flemish draftsman active during the Northern Renaissance, infused his works with Mannerist elegance—characterized by elongated forms, intricate details, and playful narratives. This ...