1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Plate 55: Aquatic Insects and Invertebrates, Including a Snail is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows small water bugs, a snail, and a few crawling things floating in a round pool. The colors are soft—light blues for the water, browns and tans for the creatures. Some have long legs, others look like they’re just floating. The artist drew each bug carefully, even the tiny details. The gold border makes it look fancy, like a special book page. Want to see more like this? Check out Hoefnagel, Joris.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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