Hansken, Rembrandt's Elephant

Rembrandt, Adolescent Indian Elephant (Hansken), 1637, black chalk on paper, Vienna, Albertina.

Hansken, Rembrandt’s Elephant tells the moving story of an Asian elephant who became famous in Europe in the 17th century, through works by Rembrandt and his contemporaries. Hansken was brought to Amsterdam from Sri Lanka by the Dutch East India Company in 1633 after the Prince of Orange, Frederik Hendrik, expressed an interest in exotic animals. After initially being housed in the prince’s country estate, she was sold to Cornelis van Groenevelt, who taught her 36 tricks and for the next twenty years toured her - the only elephant in Europe at the time - through Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Rembrandt drew Hansken several times in Amsterdam in 1637, clearly fascinated by a species he had never before encountered. Unsurprisingly, the poor creature died at the age of only 25 years, during a performance in Florence. Artist Stefano della Bella, who witnessed her death, recorded it in a pair moving drawings now in Turin and Frankfurt.

Stefano della Bella, Dead elephant (Hansken) and two men, 1655, drawing, 15 x 21 cm. Turin, Biblioteca Reale, with a handwritten note at the bottom: “elefante morto in Firenze adi 9 di novembre 1655”.

According to Leonore van Sloten, curator at The Rembrandt House Museum, ‘Rembrandt’s drawings of Hansken really show him observing closely and with great interest: he drew her “after life”, with attention to every detail including her short hairs, skin folds and the movement of her feet and trunk.” The exhibition also includes Rembrandt’s etching of Adam and Eve in Paradise, where Hansken appears in the background. You can hear Leonore and Michiel Roscam Abbing (guest curator and author of Rembrandt’s Elephant: Following in Hansken’s Footsteps) talking about Hansken and the exhibition in this podcast.

The exhibition includes historical documents, a digital map following Hansken’s journey around Europe, and her skull which comes from a collection in Italy. In collaboration with ARTIS, the IFAW and the Marjo Hoedemaker Elephant Foundation, Hansken, Rembrandt’s Elephant also incorporates a present-day perspective on elephant welfare in the seventeenth century and today.

Rembrandt, An Asian elephant; standing to right, a few spectators at right background, ca.1637, black chalk and charcoal, London, The British Museum.