Porcupine Hunt, from the Hunting-Parties,

1578

Stradanus’s design for Porcupine Hunt, originally conceived as a tapestry before it was engraved by Galle, was commissioned by Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici as part of a series showing unusual hunts throughout the world. Prized for their quills, porcupines were native to Europe and a favorite animal hunted by Cosimo in the Tuscan countryside. In this scene, hunters dig for and trap the creatures in nets, with the help of dogs. Princeton’s impression of this print is especially noteworthy because it was painted, probably in the late sixteenth century, with deep gemlike tones and gold heightening, recalling the colorful effects of the original tapestry.