Hansken, the very first elephant sent as a gift to the stadtholder by the Dutch East India Company in the 1630s, visited Leiden in 1641. She—yes, a female elephant—was also depicted by Rembrandt, who was born in Leiden. Thanks to the discovery by Michiel Roscam Abbing, we know from a letter by Casparus Barlaeus that she was in Leiden in 1641. He wrote: 'the elephant that can be seen here is now, as I understand, in Leiden.' The letter was written on October 5 of that year, just three days after October 3, the commemoration of the Relief of Leiden. So she probably took part in the festivities!
