Paul D Stewart / Illustration of Giant Octopus (Octopus dofleini) attacking a ship, 1815 copperplate engraving from Bertuch's 'Bilderbuch fur kinder' 16 plate 5. with contemporary colour. 'Colosal Polypus' (octopus) a...

Paul D Stewart / Woodcut illustration of the 'Monster of Krakow' was reported widely in the mid sixteenth century as a real occurence. It was seen by many protestants as a monstrous symptom of divine displeasure at th...