The Elephant, ca. 1485?

About the Work

In the fifteenth century, elephants were known primarily from classical texts. Compared to other depictions of the species dating from the same period, Schongauer’s is surprisingly realistic. There are indications that an elephant was presented in southern Germany in 1483. Perhaps Schongauer based his rendition on a description by someone who had seen it. The basket with the little human figures not only conveys a sense of the animal’s size and but also characterizes it as a war elephant.