Plate 5: Three Catfish, a Salmon, and Two Other Fish
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This painting shows six fish floating in a light blue watery background. Each fish is drawn carefully, with different shapes and colors—some have spiky fins, others look smooth and silvery. The whole scene is framed inside a round gold border, like a window into the water. The artist labeled each fish with tiny red numbers, almost like a scientist’s notes. This suggests they wanted to study or share details about each one. Next, check out watercolor, glazing to see how artists build up colors like layers of glass.
