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Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 4, Plate 4]

Jacob Hoefnagel

1592

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 4, Plate 4] 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 black-and-white print is packed with bugs and plants. A scorpion sits in the center, its tail curled. Nearby, a spider hangs from a web, and a beetle crawls on a leaf. Pods hang from vines, and flowers bloom—all drawn with sharp lines. The title at the top is in Latin, but the artist focused on tiny details. The scorpion’s sting is labeled below, hinting at a warning about nature’s dangers. Next, check out how this uses engraving to create such fine lines.

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