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Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 3, Plate 7]

Jacob Hoefnagel

1592

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Floral

Dominant colour

Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 3, Plate 7] is a 1592 ink by Jacob Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Jacob Hoefnagel
When & what style?: 1592 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image shows a detailed black-and-white drawing of a plant with flowers, fruits, and insects. The branches hold peaches, beans, and blossoms, while a butterfly and beetle sit among the leaves. A small bird nest is tucked into the branches, and the whole scene is framed by a border with Latin text. The artist packed a lot into a small space—every leaf and bug looks carefully studied. This kind of close-up nature drawing was a big deal in its time. Next, check out engraving to see how artists like this made precise prints.

About the artist

Artist

Jacob Hoefnagel

Jacob Hoefnagel (also 'Jacobus', 'Jakob' or 'Jakub") (1573 in Antwerp – c.1632 in Hamburg), was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman, art dealer, diplomat, merchant and politician.

See the richer artist page