Peacock and Stork
1600
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1600
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Peacock and Stork is a 1600 ink by Adriaen Collaert, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a peacock and a stork standing side by side in a detailed landscape. The peacock is perched on a rock, its feathers spread out, while the stork stands tall with its long beak open. In the background, there’s a small town with buildings, trees, and a river, all drawn with careful lines. The artist used tiny cross-hatching lines to create shading and texture, making the feathers and landscape look almost three-dimensional. The scene mixes real animals with a dreamy, almost imaginary setting. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists like this one carved these precise lines.
