Fretachtige before 1650

This print, titled "Fretachtige" was created by Antonio Tempesta around the late 16th or early 17th century. Notice how Tempesta uses tight, parallel lines to define the animal's form, creating areas of light and shadow that give it volume. The texture of the fur, the musculature of the body, is all suggested by these formal arrangements. The animal is centered in the composition, but its posture is somewhat ambiguous; this could be seen to undermine the traditional depiction of animals. It destabilizes the fixed meaning of the animal form by presenting it in a way that is both representational and stylized. The use of line not only creates a sense of form and texture but also a broader commentary on the act of representation itself. The animal is not just depicted; it is constructed through a series of formal decisions. This approach opens up the possibility of endless interpretation.