Who painted Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot?

Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot was painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1594.

Where can I see Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot?

Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot?

Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot?

Museum-quality prints of Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot is a gouache drawing by the Renaissance artist Joris Hoefnagel. It dates from 1594 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:Upper center in red/violet ink: FVLICA IN PALVIDIBVS.; center right in (gold?): XXVI.; birds in image numbered .1. and .2., in red ink Facing page: Upper center in black ink: Flectitur obsequio curnatus ab abore Ramus: / Franges: si vires experiare tuas.; lower center in red/violet ink: Laudate domini COELI caelorum, et aqu[a]e qu[a]e super / Coelos sunt laudent nomen domini.ps:148. (“Praise the Lord you heavens of heavens and let all the waters that are above the heavens praise the name of the Lord.” Psalms 148:4-5) (Latin Vulgate Bible)

About this work

Overview

Created around 1594, Plate 26: Cormorant and Coot is a small-scale watercolor and gold‑paint work on parchment by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel. The drawing belongs to a series of natural‑history illustrations that combine scientific observation with the decorative conventions of manuscript illumination.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents two waterbirds, a long‑necked cormorant with outstretched wings and a smaller, darker coot perched on a rock, set against a light sky and a sparsely branched tree. A Latin heading translates as “birds in marshes,” indicating the work’s intent as a study of wet‑land fauna.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employed delicate watercolor washes for flesh tones and plumage, while fine gold leaf outlines accentuate the tree’s twigwork and add a luminous quality. The rendering shows meticulous attention to anatomical detail, characteristic of late‑Renaissance naturalists who blended observation with ornamental flair.

History & Provenance

As one of the final examples of manuscript illumination in the Low Countries, the drawing reflects Hoefnagel’s transition from illuminated books to independent natural‑history prints. It was likely produced for a private collector’s compendium of flora and fauna, a format popular among aristocratic patrons in the late sixteenth century.

Context

Hoefnagel’s bird studies contributed to the emergence of Northern European still‑life and botanical illustration, influencing artists who later specialized in detailed floral and animal subjects. His work bridges the medieval tradition of illuminated bestiaries and the more empirical approach of early modern natural history.