The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 27, 2024

An Elephant with Howdah

An Elephant with Howdah

c. 1485
(German, c.1450–1491)
Germany, 15th century
engraving
Sheet: 10.8 x 14.6 cm (4 1/4 x 5 3/4 in.)
Dudley P. Allen Fund 1927.199
Catalogue raisonné: Lehrs V.339.94
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

The howdah is a carriage placed on the back of an elephant and used to transport wealthy people during hunting and warfare.

Description

This print shows an elephant carrying a crenellated and fortified basket—the howdah—from which two very small human figures peer out. In 1483, an elephant was brought to Germany and taken from town to town to be exhibited as a curiosity. It is likely that Martin Schongauer and his brother Ludwig, who were living in Ulm at that time, witnessed the arrival of this exotic animal. While he may have seen the elephant in person, Schongauer's portrayal—with its twisted trunk and shell-like ear—was likely made from memory rather than direct study of the beast.
  • "Some Recent Accession to the Department of Prints." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 15, no. 10 (December 1928): 194-196, 198-199, 201, 207 Reproduced: inside cover; Mentioned: p. 194 www.jstor.org
  • Eight Masters of the Print. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (October 14, 1980-January 18, 1981).
    15th Century German Engravings. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 15-December 11, 1938).
    Inaugural Exhibition of the New Print Gallery - Prints from the Museum Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 10-November 13, 1938).
    15th Century German and Netherlands Prints from the Museum Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 11-28, 1935).
    Italian and German Prints of the 15th Century. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 29, 1933-January 3, 1934).
  • {{cite web|title=An Elephant with Howdah|url=false|author=Martin Schongauer|year=c. 1485|access-date=27 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1927.199