1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plate 57: A Snake, a Fire Salamander, and a Snakelike Creature with Two Legs is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows three reptiles on a patch of grass. On the left is a lizard with four legs and a long tail. In the middle, a snake coils tightly. To the right, a strange creature with two tiny legs and a long tail slithers forward. The background is simple—just green and brown tones—and the whole scene is framed by a gold circle. The text around the edge is in Latin, warning about snakes in a poetic way. The artist used bright colors and fine details to make these animals look real. Next, look up Hoefnagel, Joris to see how he blended art and science.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
See the richer artist page
