Allegory of Africa, from the Four Continents
Etienne Delaune French
Not on view
Engraving, part of a series of four oval prints, signed and dated 1575, with allegorical representations of the four parts of the world in the form of feminine figures laying on landscapes endowed with their attributes, surrounded by animals. This representation of Africa consists of a half-naked woman, laying on the ground and reclining on a lion, her attribute. In her right hand she is holding a palm, and in the left hand she holds what seems to be an instrument for astronomical observations. Immediately behind her appears a marine monster, possibly some kind of hippopotamus, representing the African fauna, or a dragon. Behind her, in the background, is an elephant, another one of her attributes, surrounded by a palm tree, symbol of the African flora.
