Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 3, Plate 9]

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From the collection of National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image shows a detailed black-and-white engraving of plants, bugs, and a snail. Branches hold flowers, a caterpillar curls on a leaf, and a beetle stands near a large blossom. A moth with striped wings rests on a stem, while a round fruit and a cocoon sit below. Tiny lines create texture in the leaves and insect shells. The artist focused on nature’s small, precise parts, like the veins in leaves or the segments on the caterpillar. This kind of careful drawing was often used in science books back then. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this made prints with metal plates.

Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 3, Plate 9]

About this work

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