Plate 44: Mantis, Mayfly, and a Fictional Locust
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
You see three insects on a white page. The mantis stands tall. A mayfly rests on a leaf. A made-up locust skitters near the bottom. This isn’t just art—it’s science. Hoefnagel painted life-size bugs to show their real colors and shapes. He used watercolor with thin layers, called glazing, to make the bugs look shiny and real. Look for more tiny wonders at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
