1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Plate 43: Sandpipers and Other Shore Birds Admiring a Garland of Flowers is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows five birds standing near water and grass. Four are dark gray or black, and one has reddish-brown feathers. Above them floats a wreath of flowers and leaves—yellow, pink, and blue—with a twist of ribbon. The background is plain, but the birds and wreath are detailed with soft colors and gold highlights. The Latin text at the top means *"Neither beans, nor garlic."* This might hint at a hidden message or symbolism in the image. The artist used delicate brushwork to make the flowers and feathers look almost alive. 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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