God Creating the Animals
ca. 1590–1630
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 1/4 × 17 15/16 in. (33.6 × 45.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.3365
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *God Creating the Animals*, captivating etching by the Italian artist Antonio Tempesta created around 1590–1630. This work depicts a divine moment from the Book of Genesis, where God brings forth a vibrant array of creatures—lions, camels,, and horses—into world. Tempesta, a Florentine Mannerist known for his dynamic animal studies and biblical illustrations, masterfully populates the scene with lively beasts, emphasizing the wonder of creation in a style that blends mythological energy with religious narrative. As an etching, the print showcases Tempesta's virtuosic technique: fine li...
About the Artist
Antonio Tempesta · 1555–1630
Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), known as 'Il Tempestino,' was a Florentine painter and printmaker whose extraordinary output of approximately 1,700 etchings made him one of the most influential printmakers of the early Baroque period. Born in Florence and trained under Santi di Tito and the Flemish master Joannes Stradanus, he enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1576 before relocating to Rome i...