1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Plate 38: Seven Spiders is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows seven spiders drawn in a circle on light-colored parchment. The spiders vary in size and color—some are dark brown, others lighter with faint stripes. A few have extra-long legs, and one even has a tiny green dot on its back. The background is plain, but the edges of the circle are marked with a thin gold line. The artist focused on detail, making each spider look almost real. The tiny green dot on one spider is unusual—maybe it’s a trick of the light or just a quirky detail. Next, check out 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.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
