In 1637 a Dutch East India Company ship arrived in Holland carrying a cargo of peppercorns, and Hansken, a female Asian elephant from Ceylon. She became famous across Europe in the 17th century for performing circus tricks and was sketched by Rembrandt and Stefano della Bella. Hansken could apparently wave a flag, fire a pistol, strike a drum, hold out her front feet, pinch money from pockets, put on a hat, carry a bucket of water, and pick up coins from the ground.
Inspired by Rembrandt’s sketches, she appears here in a series of relief sculptures cast in plaster. Available framed and unframed. Contact me for more information.
Luke Jones - Art Tutor 