1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plate 3: A Walrus, a Nine-Legged Octopus, and Ocean Sunfish is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a strange underwater scene with four odd creatures. A spiky, hairy walrus floats on its back, its tusks pointing up. Nearby, a pink fish with a wide mouth swims upside down. A small, scrawny fish with big eyes looks like it’s gasping. In the corner, a blue octopus with six arms stretches its tentacles. The Latin text at the top means “The polypus struck seven times,” hinting this might be a mix of real and mythical animals. The gold border and careful details suggest it’s meant to look fancy and precise. Next, check out the technique: watercolor, glazing to see how artists built up colors layer by layer.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
