1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Plate 37: Three Waterfowl with Two Nightingales(?) Perched in Citrus Trees is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows three ducks standing near water and two small birds perched on a branch with citrus fruits. The ducks are detailed, with one dark and glossy, another lighter with a reddish head, and the third mostly gray. The branch above has yellow fruit and green leaves, while the birds look simple but alert. The Latin text at the top and bottom hints at a deeper meaning—likely about nightingales, though the birds here don’t look like them. The gold paint and delicate watercolor give it a fancy, old-fashioned feel. Next, check out watercolor, glazing to see how artists built 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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