1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Plate 46: Bats, Quail, and Oystercatcher(?) by the Water is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This round painting shows four animals by the water. Two bats fly above a branch with purple flowers. Below, a black-and-white bird with a bright red beak stands on grass. Nearby, a quail and its chicks hide under a rock. The background is soft blue, and the whole scene has a golden border. The artist used watercolor and gold paint on parchment, which gives it a delicate, glowing look. The bats and birds are drawn with careful detail, almost like they’re alive. Next, check out technique: watercolor, glazing to see how this effect was made.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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