1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plate 2: Sperm Whale, Sturgeon, Shark, and Other Fish is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a sperm whale at the top, its mouth open and teeth visible. Below it, nine smaller fish float in a blue sea, each labeled with numbers. The colors are soft—whale in gray, fish in earthy browns and blues—and the whole scene is framed in a gold circle. The whale’s size dwarfs the others, making it the clear star. The Latin text above and below hints this was meant as a scientific record, not just art. Next, look up watercolor, glazing to see how artists built up colors like layers.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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