1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plate 11: A Lioness with Two Lions in the Background is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows a lioness lying on her back, tongue out, on a grassy hill. Behind her, two smaller lions—one standing, one crouching—watch from a rocky ledge. A bare tree branch leans over the scene, and the whole picture has a gold-leaf border. The lioness looks relaxed, almost playful, while the others seem alert. The colors are soft but bright, with gold paint adding a fancy touch to the edges. Next, look up watercolor, glazing to see how artists built up light and depth in old paintings.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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