Plate 21: A Butterfly with a Dragonfly, a Ladybug, and Five other Insects
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
A butterfly, dragonfly, ladybug and five other insects pose on a white page. Their bright colors pop against the plain background. Tiny gold specks catch the light like dewdrops. These bugs aren’t just scattered. Each sits carefully, like a portrait subject. Joris Hoefnagel painted them big enough to see every spot and vein. Check out more bugs next to this one. Find them at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
