Slang

About this artwork

Gekronkelde slang met open bek.

Art Historical Context

### Slang (Snake) Johan Teyler, a Dutch engraver active during the Golden Age (c. 1648–1709), created *Slang* between 1685 and 1697. This intricate etching, measuring 168 mm high by 294 mm wide, captures a coiled snake with its mouth agape in a striking pose. Teyler was renowned for his meticulous natural history illustrations, blending artistic precision with scientific observation—a hallmark of 17th-century Dutch scholarship. Etching, Teyler's favored medium, allowed for delicate line work and rich tonal contrasts, ideal for rendering the snake's twisting form, glistening scales, and menaci...

About the Artist

Johan Teyler · 1648–1697

Johannes (Johan) Teyler (1648–c.1709) was a Dutch Golden Age figure who achieved lasting significance not as a professional artist but as an innovative entrepreneur, mathematician, and promoter of color printmaking. Born in Nijmegen on May 23, 1648, Teyler was educated as a philosopher and mathematician and pursued a career as a military engineer rather than as a painter or printmaker. Nevertheles...