Spoonbill and Avocet
1600
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Adriaen Collaert
Adriaen Collaert (1560–1618) was a Flemish artist, born in Antwerp.
See the richer artist page1600
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Spoonbill and Avocet is a 1600 ink by Adriaen Collaert, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white engraving shows two birds standing side by side in a marshy area. One bird has a long, curved beak, while the other has a flatter, spoon-shaped bill. In the background, there’s a distant town with buildings, a river, and hills. The artist labeled the birds with their Latin names: *Platea* and *Recurvirostra*. The scene looks calm, with careful details in the feathers and landscape. Next, look up engraving to see how artists create these precise lines.
Adriaen Collaert (1560–1618) was a Flemish artist, born in Antwerp.
See the richer artist page
