Artwork

Plate 24: A Wild Goat and a Barbary Sheep(?)

Plate 24: A Wild Goat and a Barbary Sheep(?), by Joris Hoefnagel, gouache, 1594
Plate 24: A Wild Goat and a Barbary Sheep(?), by Joris Hoefnagel, gouache, 1594

Plate 24: A Wild Goat and a Barbary Sheep(?) 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. Plate 24: A Wild Goat and a Barbary Sheep(?

About this work

Overview

Plate 24: A Wild Goat and a Barbary Sheep(?) is a watercolor and gold paint work on parchment created by Joris Hoefnagel around 1594. It exemplifies the artist's skill in detailed representations of natural subjects.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts two goats on rocky terrain, distinguished by their fur color and horn shape. A pine branch with a pinecone is rendered above them. The surrounding Latin text may hold interpretive significance, though its meaning is not immediately clear.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel's use of watercolor and gold paint achieves a delicate, ornate effect. The gold border and soft color palette evoke the style of manuscript illumination, a tradition in which Hoefnagel was a late practitioner.

Context

As a Flemish artist known for natural history and topographical subjects, Hoefnagel brought a scientific observational rigor to his depiction of flora and fauna, influencing the development of floral still-life painting in northern Europe.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Joris Hoefnagel

Artist

Joris Hoefnagel

Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.