1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plate 9: A Donkey and a Mule is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, depicting Donkey, held at National Gallery of Art.
This watercolor shows a donkey and a mule standing side by side. Their coats are soft and detailed, each hair visible. The gold outlines make them pop against the plain parchment. Hoefnagel added tiny plants around their feet. You almost need a magnifying glass to see them. That’s the kind of quiet magic these pictures have. Next time you visit the National Gallery of Art, Washington, look for their animal plates.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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