Until 1680 the Dodo lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian
Ocean, with no natural enemies. The island was uninhabited until it
was discovered by seafarers around 1510 and the ecosystem was
disrupted. The Dodo is the symbol of animals that have been wiped
out by humans. Specimens were taken to Europe as curiosities, one in 1626 to Amsterdam, so
Saftleven may have drawn his Dodo head from life.
Specifications
| Title | The Heads of a Dodo and a Hoopoe Hen |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Black chalk, brush and grey ink and watercolour |
| Object type |
Drawing
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | This object is in storage |
| Dimensions |
Height 118 mm Width 172 mm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Draughtsman:
Cornelis Saftleven
|
| Accession number | CS 30 (PK) |
| Credits | Purchased 1900 |
| Department | Drawings & Prints |
| Acquisition date | 1900 |
| Creation date | in circa 1630-1635 |
| Internal exhibitions |
Prentenkabinet: Vogels van diverse pluimage (2009) |
| External exhibitions |
Boijmans bij de Buren - Meesterlijk! (2019) |
| Material | |
| Object | |
| Geographical origin | The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe |
