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Lot Essay
Hollar’s The dead Mole offers a markedly different treatment to Melchior Lorck’s depiction of the same subject (see previous lot), showing the animal isolated from any surroundings. The body is rendered with dense and soft, delicate lines, conveying the velvety texture and subtle tonal variation of the fur. The presentation of the small animal against a blank background reflects Hollar’s characteristic interest in close observation. Such prints form part of his wider oeuvre of studies after animals and still-life subjects produced during his time in England (see also lot 170).
In contrast to Lorck’s engraving created almost one hundred years earlier, Hollar’s approach is distinctly more scientific, emphasizing precise description over symbolism or analogy. The animal has become a ‘specimen’ rather than a carrier of meaning. Above all, as noted by Richard Godfrey, it allowed the artist to indulge in his ‘obsession with fur’.
In contrast to Lorck’s engraving created almost one hundred years earlier, Hollar’s approach is distinctly more scientific, emphasizing precise description over symbolism or analogy. The animal has become a ‘specimen’ rather than a carrier of meaning. Above all, as noted by Richard Godfrey, it allowed the artist to indulge in his ‘obsession with fur’.