Where can I see Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis)?

Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis)?

Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis) is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis)?

Museum-quality prints of Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis)

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Blue Underwing Moth and Spurge Hawk Moth (plate 25 from Ignis) is a gouache drawing by the Renaissance artist Joris Hoefnagel. It dates from 1594 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:Insects in image numbered .1. and .2., in red ink; center right in brown ink: XXV; Facing page: Upper center in red ink: Quis loquetur potentias Domini? auditas / faciet omnes laudes eius ps:104. (“Who shall declare the powers of the Lord? Who shall set forth all his praises?” Psalms 105:2) (Latin Vulgate Bible)

About this work

Overview

This drawing is one of 25 plates from the series Ignis, created by Joris Hoefnagel around 1594. It depicts two moths rendered in watercolor, lepidochromy, and gold paint on parchment.

Subject & Meaning

The work shows two moths, a blue underwing moth and a spurge hawk moth, pinned side by side against a plain background. The moths are meticulously detailed, with attention to features like antennae and wing veins.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employed a range of techniques, including watercolor and glazing, to achieve a lifelike representation of the moths. The use of gold paint adds depth and luminosity to the image. Lepidochromy, a technique involving the use of butterfly or moth wings, may have been used to create iridescent effects.

Context

As part of the Ignis series, this drawing reflects Hoefnagel's expertise in natural history illustration and manuscript illumination, characteristic of late 16th-century northern European art.