What movement is Plate 49: Marmot, Hamsters, Rat, Field Mouse, Shrew, and a Coatimundi?

Plate 49: Marmot, Hamsters, Rat, Field Mouse, Shrew, and a Coatimundi is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Plate 49: Marmot, Hamsters, Rat, Field Mouse, Shrew, and a Coatimundi?

Museum-quality prints of Plate 49: Marmot, Hamsters, Rat, Field Mouse, Shrew, and a Coatimundi are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Plate 49: Marmot, Hamsters, Rat, Field Mouse, Shrew, and a Coatimundi

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 49: Marmot, Hamsters, Rat, Field Mouse, Shrew, and a Coatimundi is a gouache drawing by the Renaissance artist Joris Hoefnagel. It dates from 1594 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:upper center in light blue/black ink: VIRVM IMPROBVM VEL MVRES MORDEANT.; right center in brown ink: XXXXIX.; animals in image numbered .1., .2., .3., .5., .6., .7., and .9., in red ink; lower center in red ink: SVO IPSVS INDITIO PERIT SOREX. Facing page: upper center in brown ink: Tota mihi dormitur hyems: et pinguior illo / Tempore sum, quo me nil nisi summus alit.; middle center in black ink: Glires hyberno tempore somnus / semper habet: capiunt longam [super/supra] me[m]bra quietem, / Et quantum dapibus pinguescunt caetera lautis / Hyberno tantum pinguescunt tempore glires. / Ingenii tantum tribuit natura, parentes / Annosos ut alant moti pietate vicissim.; lower center in brown ink: Mus avidus mintrat: velox mustelaq[ue] dintrit: / Et grillus grillat: desticat inde sorex.

About this work

Overview

This 1594 watercolor and gold paint drawing on parchment, titled Plate 49: Marmot, Hamsters, Rat, Field Mouse, Shrew, and a Coatimundi, features six meticulously depicted small animals within a gilded frame, showcasing both artistic skill and scientific observation.

Subject & Meaning

Beyond a mere animal study, this piece is part of a larger, lavishly illustrated book commissioned for a wealthy collector, reflecting the intersection of scientific curiosity and luxury patronage in late 16th-century Europe.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employed watercolor with careful glazing techniques to achieve realistic color layering, complemented by the use of gold paint to frame the scene, bridging the traditions of manuscript illumination with emerging still-life practices.

History & Provenance

Created by Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel around 1594, this work represents his contribution to the transitional period in northern European art from illuminated manuscripts to independent still-life paintings.

Context

Part of a broader trend in late 16th-century northern Europe, this work reflects the growing interest in natural history documentation, catered to the tastes of affluent collectors who valued both knowledge and aesthetic luxury.