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Plate 18: Two Butterflies and a Moth with a Damselfly, Two Ants, and Four Other Insects

Plate 18: Two Butterflies and a Moth with a Damselfly, Two Ants, and Four Other Insects

Joris Hoefnagel

1594

gouache

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance insect

About this work

This tiny painting shows six bugs on pale parchment. Two butterflies hover near a moth, while ants and a damselfly cluster around. Gold and silver paint make them gleam against the off-white background. This isn’t just a bug list. Hoefnagel painted each wing spot and antenna precisely. He mixed watercolor with gold to make light catch the wings. Look up Hoefnagel, Joris next.

Plate 19: Two Butterflies with Five Other Insects

Plate 19: Two Butterflies with Five Other Insects

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 21: A Butterfly with a Dragonfly, a Ladybug, and Five other Insects

Plate 21: A Butterfly with a Dragonfly, a Ladybug, and Five other Insects

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 34: Two Moths with a Spider, a Caterpillar, a Damselfly, and Other Insects

Plate 34: Two Moths with a Spider, a Caterpillar, a Damselfly, and Other Insects

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 49: A Grasshopper, a Caterpillar, a Butterfly, a Moth, and Other Insects

Plate 49: A Grasshopper, a Caterpillar, a Butterfly, a Moth, and Other Insects

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 20: Three Butterflies, a Caterpillar, a Bee, Two Chrysalides, and Three Weevils

Plate 20: Three Butterflies, a Caterpillar, a Bee, Two Chrysalides, and Three Weevils

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 17: Brimstone and Meadow Brown(?) Butterflies, a Blue Chaser, and Two Small Insects

Plate 17: Brimstone and Meadow Brown(?) Butterflies, a Blue Chaser, and Two Small Insects

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 11: Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral Butterflies with a Mole Cricket

Plate 11: Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral Butterflies with a Mole Cricket

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 67: Seven Insects, Including a White Butterfly and a Bee

Plate 67: Seven Insects, Including a White Butterfly and a Bee

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 78: Ten Insects, Including a Blue Fly

Plate 78: Ten Insects, Including a Blue Fly

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 47: A Dragonfly (Banded Darter?), Grasshopper, Houseflies, a Carrion Beetle, a Flower Longhorn Beetle, and Other Insects

Plate 47: A Dragonfly (Banded Darter?), Grasshopper, Houseflies, a Carrion Beetle, a Flower Longhorn Beetle, and Other Insects

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 22: A Cinnabar Moth and a Cockchafer with Butterflies, other Insects, and a Snapdragon

Plate 22: A Cinnabar Moth and a Cockchafer with Butterflies, other Insects, and a Snapdragon

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 62: Ten Insects

Plate 62: Ten Insects

Joris Hoefnagel

More by Joris Hoefnagel

Forum Vulcani: The Hot Springs at Pozzuoli

Forum Vulcani: The Hot Springs at Pozzuoli

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Plate 76: Insects with a Pink and Cream Columbine

Plate 76: Insects with a Pink and Cream Columbine

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 51: Two Sand Lizards, a Common Parsley Frog(?), and a Caterpillar

Plate 51: Two Sand Lizards, a Common Parsley Frog(?), and a Caterpillar

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 1: Elephant with Insects

Plate 1: Elephant with Insects

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 60: Magpie, Crow, and Goldfinch

Plate 60: Magpie, Crow, and Goldfinch

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 67: Two Doves beneath a Gourd and Apples

Plate 67: Two Doves beneath a Gourd and Apples

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 31: Seven Moths

Plate 31: Seven Moths

Joris Hoefnagel
Plate 21: Swamp Hen and Woodcock with a Streaked Rosefinch, a Finch, and Oak Galls

Plate 21: Swamp Hen and Woodcock with a Streaked Rosefinch, a Finch, and Oak Galls

Joris Hoefnagel
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