Arkivism
Sunfish (Mola Mola)
Public domain

Sunfish (Mola Mola)

1596 - 1610 · pen; brush; paper; deck paint; ink; pencil; watercolor (paint); chalk

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

The ocean sunfish owes its Latin name Mola, meaning millstone, to its leathery and rough skin. The Dutch name Maanvis, or moonfish, derives from the resemblance between its shape and the celestial body. De Boodt might have seen a stuffed specimen in Emperor Rudolf II's cabinet of curiosities. Just how large that moonfish was is not clear in this drawing: they can reach a size of 4 metres.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Subjects
drawing
Credit lineMaanvis (Mola Mola). 1596 - 1610. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
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