1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Plate 23: A Brandt's Cormorant with a Juvenile Crowned Night Heron is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows two birds near a tree and water. A dark blue cormorant floats on the surface, its wings spread wide. Perched above it on a bare branch is a smaller bird with a sharp beak, surrounded by dry leaves and roots. The background is simple—just light blue for the water and a faint sky. The Latin text at the top is a clue this was made as a scientific study, not just art. The gold paint around the edges makes it look fancy, like a book illustration. Want to know more? Try looking up watercolor, glazing.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
See the richer artist page
