Artwork

Plate 57: A Snake, a Fire Salamander, and a Snakelike Creature with Two Legs

Plate 57: A Snake, a Fire Salamander, and a Snakelike Creature with Two Legs 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 black ink: Sqammeus exuitur stellate tegmine serpens / Pelle renascente, rursus redeunte Iuventa / Reptat [hians?] anguis, per sibila guttura pandens:; upper center in red ink: FRIGIDVS IN PRATIS, CANTANDO RVMPITVR ANGVIS.; center right in (gold?): LVII.; animals in image numbered .1., .2., and .3., in red ink; lower center in black ink: COLVBRVM IN SINV NE FOVETO. / Qui fodit foveam Incidet In eam: et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum Coluber.Ecc[es]:10: (“He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaks a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” Ecclesiastes 10:8) (Latin Vulgate Bible) Facing page: upper center in brown ink: Fit draco Cinyphius, Colubrum, si devoret Anguis. / Fortuna crescit, visq[ue] minoris opum.; in red ink: A: Steck.Can[ebat]. (Stockelius?); lower center in brown ink: Anguibus exuitur, tenui cum pelle vetustas. / Cur nos angusta conditione sumus?

About this work

Overview

Plate 57: A Snake, a Fire Salamander, and a Snakelike Creature with Two Legs is a watercolor and gold paint drawing on parchment created by Joris Hoefnagel around 1594.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts three reptiles on a grassy patch, framed by a gold circle, with a Latin inscription warning about snakes. The creatures are rendered in bright colors with fine details, creating a sense of realism.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel's work showcases his detailed and observational approach to natural history illustration, blending artistic skill with scientific precision. The use of watercolor and gold paint on parchment reflects his background as a manuscript illuminator.

Context

As a Flemish painter and draftsman, Hoefnagel contributed to the development of floral still-life painting in northern Europe during the late 16th century, influencing the intersection of art and natural history.