Who painted Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel?

Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel was painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1594.

Where can I see Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel?

Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel?

Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel?

Museum-quality prints of Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel 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 (gold?): QVID CANI CVM BALNEO.; center right in brown ink: XXXV.; animals in image numbered .1. and .2., in red ink; lower center in (gold?): VT CANIS E NILO. Facing page: upper center in brown ink: Qui canem alit peregrinum, huic praeter / funiculum nihil restat.; lower center in brown ink: Quae laus prima Canum, quibus est audacia pr[a]eceps, / venandiq[ue] sagax virtus, viresq[ue] sequendi.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1594, this miniature drawing by Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel combines watercolor and gold pigment on a sheet of parchment. It depicts two dogs, a lean, tan hound and a compact, black water spaniel, set on a grassy bank beside a modest expanse of water, all framed by a thin gold border.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents the two canines in contrasting postures: the hound stands alert, head raised, while the spaniel sits with its back turned toward the companion. Latin verses framing the image allude to riddles concerning dogs and water, suggesting a playful or didactic intent beyond mere portraiture.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employs delicate watercolor washes to render the fur and foliage, building color through successive glazing. Gold paint outlines the scene, adding a decorative sheen typical of late manuscript illumination. The precise rendering of anatomy reflects the artist’s natural‑history interests, while the overall arrangement retains a decorative, almost ornamental quality.

History & Provenance

As one of the final practitioners of the illuminated manuscript tradition, Hoefnagel’s work bridges the medieval manuscript culture and the emerging genre of northern European still‑life painting. The piece forms part of a larger series of plates illustrating animals and plants, intended for a scientific‑artistic compendium that circulated among collectors in the late sixteenth century.