Where can I see Plate 27: An Eyed Hawk-Moth, Two Chyrsalides, and Other Insects?

Plate 27: An Eyed Hawk-Moth, Two Chyrsalides, and Other Insects is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 27: An Eyed Hawk-Moth, Two Chyrsalides, and Other Insects?

Plate 27: An Eyed Hawk-Moth, Two Chyrsalides, and Other Insects is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Plate 27: An Eyed Hawk-Moth, Two Chyrsalides, and Other Insects

Plate 27: An Eyed Hawk-Moth, Two Chyrsalides, and Other Insects 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.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1594, this small-scale work by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel depicts an eyed hawk‑moth surrounded by two chrysalides and assorted insects.

Created circa 1594, this small-scale work by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel depicts an eyed hawk‑moth surrounded by two chrysalides and assorted insects. Executed in watercolor with touches of gold on parchment, the image combines delicate natural observation with a decorative finish typical of late‑sixteenth‑century manuscript illumination. The composition serves both as a visual study of entomology and as a decorative object for a learned audience.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is an eyed hawk‑moth, rendered with precise wing patterning, flanked by two chrysalides that illustrate stages of metamorphosis. Additional insects—beetles, flies and other small critters—populate the border, emphasizing the diversity of the natural world. By presenting multiple life stages together, Hoefnagel highlights the scientific curiosity of his era, aligning artistic representation with emerging natural‑history inquiry.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employed fine watercolor washes to model the translucent bodies of the insects, while delicate gold pigment outlines and accents lend a luminous quality to the parchment surface. The meticulous brushwork reflects his training in illuminated manuscript production, where attention to minute detail and ornamental richness were paramount. The combination of scientific exactness and decorative opulence characterizes the transitional style between manuscript art and early still‑life painting in northern Europe.

History & Provenance

The drawing originates from Hoefnagel’s prolific period of natural‑history illustration, produced after his extensive travels and commercial contacts across Europe. Though the original patron is unknown, the work likely formed part of a private collection of curiosities or a codex of botanical and zoological studies. It survives today as a representative example of Hoefnagel’s contribution to the rise of detailed flora and fauna depiction in the late Renaissance.