Who painted Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug?

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug was painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1594.

Where can I see Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug?

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug?

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug?

Museum-quality prints of Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug 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 red ink: INFIXO SPICVLO FVGIT.; insects in image numbered .1., .2., and .3., in red ink; center right in (gold?): LXXI.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1594 by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel, this small-scale work portrays two wasps alongside a pill bug. Executed in watercolor with touches of gold on a parchment support, the image measures only a few inches yet demonstrates a meticulous observation of insect anatomy.

Subject & Meaning

The composition focuses on three terrestrial arthropods, rendered with lifelike accuracy. By isolating the wasps and the pill bug against a neutral background, Hoefnagel emphasizes their structural details, suggesting an interest in cataloguing nature rather than allegorical interpretation.

Technique & Style

Watercolor washes provide subtle tonal gradations, while fine gold highlights accentuate the glossy exoskeletons. The delicate brushwork captures the texture of wings and segmented bodies, reflecting a hybrid of medieval illumination precision and emerging Renaissance naturalism.

History & Provenance

The piece belongs to Hoefnagel’s series of illustrated plates intended for scientific and decorative manuscripts. As one of the later examples of illuminated parchment, it marks a transitional moment when artists began to move from codex decoration toward independent natural history illustration.

Context

During the late sixteenth century, northern Europe saw a growing fascination with flora and fauna, driven by exploration and the rise of empirical study. Hoefnagel’s work exemplifies this trend, merging his background in topographical drawing with a nascent desire to document the natural world in a systematic fashion.