Who painted Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect?

Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect was painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1594.

Where can I see Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect?

Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect?

Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect?

Museum-quality prints of Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect 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:Center right in brown ink: XXXVII. Facing page: Upper center in red ink: Ova Aspidum rapuerunt, et telas Araneae texuerunt / qui co[m]medet de ovis eorum, morietur.Isa 55 (“They have broken the eggs of asps, and have woven the webs of spiders: he that shall eat of their eggs shall die.” Isaiah 59:5) (Latin Vulgate Bible)

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1594, Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect is a small-scale drawing executed in watercolor and gold on a sheet of tan parchment. Flemish artist Joris Höfenagel, active as a manuscript illuminator, rendered a group of seven spiders surrounding a single insect, all enclosed within a thin gold circular frame and marked with the Roman numeral XXXVII in the corner.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a close observation of arachnids and an accompanying insect, each rendered with individual attention to size, coloration, and posture. By gathering multiple specimens together, Höfenagel emphasizes the diversity of small terrestrial fauna, inviting a comparative study of form and texture rather than a narrative scene.

Technique & Style

Fine, linear brushwork defines the slender legs and segmented bodies of the spiders, while delicate washes of watercolor build subtle tonal variations. Gold leaf or pigment outlines the central circle, providing a luminous border that contrasts with the matte parchment. The overall effect balances scientific precision with the decorative sensibility typical of late‑Renaissance illumination.

History & Provenance

Höfenagel worked as one of the last practitioners of illuminated manuscript art, contributing to the emergence of natural‑history illustration in northern Europe. This particular plate is part of a larger folio series that documented flora and fauna with a quasi‑scientific eye, reflecting the artist’s dual role as painter and observer.

Context

The work belongs to a period when interest in cataloguing the natural world was growing, intersecting with the rise of botanical and zoological studies. Höfenagel’s meticulous renderings prefigure the detailed still‑life and natural‑history paintings that would become prominent in the Dutch Golden Age.