Plate 69: Emperor Moth Caterpillar with a Second Caterpillar on a Branch
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1594
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows two caterpillars on a simple branch. One is fat and fuzzy with a striped, yellowish-brown body and a little tuft at the tail. The other is smaller, green with orange spots, and looks like it’s crawling. The branch is thin and brown, and the whole scene is framed in a gold circle on a light background. The bigger caterpillar is an emperor moth caterpillar, which will turn into a moth later. The artist used watercolor and gold paint to make it look detailed but also a little like a fancy book illustration. Look up technique: watercolor, glazing to see how artists built up colors like this.
