Fight between Pygmies and Cranes
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-124
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Behold the whimsical yet fierce *Fight between Pygmies and Cr* (1596 or before), captivating drawing by Flemish artist Jan van der Straet, as Stradanus (3–1605). This work depicts a legendary clash from ancient lore—tiny pygmies battling giant cranes, a motif drawn from classical texts like those of Pliny the Elder. Stradanus, who spent much of his career in Renaissance Florence under Medici patronage, specialized in dynamic hunting scenes and fantastical narratives, often as preparatory drawings for engravings. As a master of Mannerism, Stradanus infused his compositions with exaggerated for...