What is in this image? Describe it as if you were explaining it to someone from the 15th century.

In the image, you see a likeness of a tortoise, depicted in a manner that might strike you as fanciful or peculiar. This creature is shown with a smooth, rounded shell composed of patterned segments, much like the plates of armor worn by knights, but entirely encasing its body save for the head, tail, and limbs. The tortoise has a kindly visage, with large, round eyes and a slight smile, suggesting a friendly nature. Its limbs and head extend from the shell, and it stands upon a simple flat surface, possibly representing the ground. Such a portrayal blends natural observation with an artistic, almost storybook quality.