Open full image Pin

Archetypa studiaque patris Georgii Hoefnagelii [Part 4, Plate 1]

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 1] 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 shows a giant eye surrounded by plants and bugs. There’s a flower cluster, a pinecone, a snail, and a caterpillar all around it. The lines are sharp, and some areas are filled with tiny cross-hatching marks. The eye looks like it’s watching the scene, but it’s not clear what it means. The text at the top and bottom is in Latin, which was common for old prints like this. Next, check out engraving to see how artists made detailed prints like this one.

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