1594
gouache
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plate 9: A Great White(?) Shark, Two Seals, and Two Fish is a 1594 gouache by Joris Hoefnagel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows a shark swimming near two seals in blue water. One seal holds a fish in its front flippers, while the other floats with its head peeking above the waves. Below them, two small fish dart near the surface, and the whole scene is framed inside a gold circle. The shark’s mouth is open, but it’s not clear if it’s attacking. The artist used soft watercolors and gold paint on parchment, giving the scene a delicate, almost glowing look. Next, look up watercolor, glazing to see how artists built up colors like this.
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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