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Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 1, Plate 9]

Jacob Hoefnagel

1592

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 1, Plate 9] 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 engraving shows a branch with two plump, textured fruits and a few leaves. Around it are insects—bees, a caterpillar, a beetle, and a spider—drawn with sharp lines. Flowers with detailed petals hang nearby, and a long, striped caterpillar curls across the middle. The tiny, precise lines create shadows and texture, making everything look real. This kind of careful drawing was often used in science books back then. Next, look up engraving to see how artists made prints like this.

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