Plate 26: Two Hawk Moths

Hoefnagel employed a glazing technique, applying successive translucent washes of watercolor to achieve depth and realism. The addition of gold paint on the parchment creates a subtle ornamental quality, merging scientific accuracy with decorative flourish characteristic of late‑Renaissance manuscript illumination.

The work belongs to a series of natural‑history illustrations produced by Hoefnagel toward the end of his career, when he was among the last artists to work within the illuminated‑manuscript tradition. It later entered private collections before being acquired by a museum specializing in early modern European art.

During the late 16th century, northern European artists began to explore detailed still‑life and natural‑history subjects. Hoefnagel’s meticulous studies contributed to this shift, influencing subsequent generations of botanical and entomological illustrators.