This original antique woodcut originates from ”Historia animalium” ("History of the Animals"), published in Zurich in 1551–1558 and 1587, is an encyclopedic "inventory of renaissance zoology" by Conrad Gessner (1516–1565). This Gessner’s ’work is considered the start of modern zoology in the West and it was the most widely read of all the Renaissance natural history books. The illustrations in 'Historia animalium' are very naturalistic compared to those found in Medieval bestiaries and printed copies of the Physiologus. Animals are not show in an iconographic way illustrating a particular scene, but instead appear as real living creatures. Some entries are on fictitious creatures like the hydra, sea monk, and unicorn. There was a lot of crossover between fact and fiction in Gessner’s work. Many scholars believe that the shift towards more naturalistic animal illustrations was inspired by the popularity of herbals during the period such as Jacob Meydenbach’s 'Hortus sanitatis' (“Garden of Health” which also features illustrations of animals) and Leonhart Fuchs’s 'De historia stirpium' (1542). These herbals depicted plants in a naturalistic way, and in Fuchs’s case they were based on observations of living specimens. The reverse side has text. This is an original print, not a modern reproduction. Dimensions: 9” x 14” inches / 24 cm x 36 cm Artist or Maker: Conrad Gessner Place and year of publication: Zurich, Switzerland, 1617 Medium: Woodcut We provide a Certificate of Authenticity upon request. The work has foxing, age browning but is in good condition overall. There may be a minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions. This Item is professionally protected by handmade packing.