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Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 4, Titlepage]

Jacob Hoefnagel

1592

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 4, Titlepage] 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 is a black-and-white engraving packed with symbols. At the center sits a skull inside a shield, flanked by two vases—one labeled *HOMO* with a wilting plant, the other *BULLA* with a blooming one. Birds perch on branches that twist into scrollwork, and Latin words fill the borders. The top reads *VIVITVR INGENIO* and *CÆTERA MORTIS ERVNT*, while the bottom has more text in a decorative frame. The skull and vases hint at life and death, a common Renaissance theme. The artist, Jacob Hoefnagel, used tiny details to pack deep meaning into a small space. Look up engraving to see how artists like him carved intricate images into metal.

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