Artwork
Plate 55: Three Green Damselflies with Brown Wings (Beautiful Desmoiselles?)
Plate 55: Three Green Damselflies with Brown Wings (Beautiful Desmoiselles?) 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. Created around 1594, Plate 55: Three Green Damselflies with Brown Wings (Beautiful Desmoiselles?
- Inscription
- Inscribed:Center right in brown ink: LV. Facing page: Upper center in red ink: Ipse dixit et facta sunt, ipse mandavit / et creata sunt. ps:148. (“For he spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.” Psalms 148:5) (Latin Vulgate Bible)
About this work
Overview
Created around 1594, Plate 55: Three Green Damselflies with Brown Wings (Beautiful Desmoiselles?) is a watercolor and gold paint drawing on parchment by Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel.
Subject & Meaning
The piece depicts three damselflies with vibrant green bodies and brown, intricately detailed wings set against a plain background, blending artistic representation with scientific observation.
Technique & Style
Hoefnagel employed meticulous techniques, including tiny brushes and layered watercolor glazes, to achieve lifelike colors. Subtle gold dots adorn the wings, showcasing his skill in manuscript illumination.
History & Provenance
As one of the last manuscript illuminators, Hoefnagel contributed to the emergence of floral still-life painting in late 16th-century northern Europe. The work is now part of the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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