1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Plate 37: Seven Spiders and an Insect is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows seven spiders and one small insect drawn in watercolor on tan parchment. The spiders vary in size and color—some are brown with long legs, others are darker or lighter. A gold circle frames the whole scene, and the numbers "XXXVII" are written in the corner. The artist used fine lines to show each spider’s tiny details, like their legs and bodies. The gold border and careful shading make the creatures look almost real. Next, look up watercolor, glazing to see how artists build up colors like this.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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