Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This round painting shows a black-and-brown goose on a patch of grass near water, pecking at a half-buried shell. Above it, four small birds perch on twisted branches—two with gray and black feathers, one with red on its wings. The background has a soft blue sky and a rocky hill. The artist used gold paint to outline the circle and highlight the branches, giving it a fancy, almost jewel-like look. The goose’s nest is filled with tiny shells, and the birds seem to be watching it closely. Next, look up technique: watercolor, glazing to see how artists built up colors like this.
