Who painted Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds?

Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds was painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1594.

Where can I see Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds?

Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds?

Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 28: Barnacle Goose with Shrikes and Other Birds 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. Created circa 1594, this round watercolor on parchment depicts a barnacle goose amid a shallow, grassy wetland.

About this work

Overview

A muted blue sky and a distant rocky rise frame the scene, and the composition is outlined and accented with gold paint.

Created circa 1594, this round watercolor on parchment depicts a barnacle goose amid a shallow, grassy wetland. The bird is shown pecking at a partially buried shell while four smaller birds—two dark‑toned, one with reddish wing markings, and another gray‑black—perch on twisted branches above. A muted blue sky and a distant rocky rise frame the scene, and the composition is outlined and accented with gold paint.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, a black‑brown barnacle goose, is rendered in a naturalistic pose that emphasizes its foraging behavior. The surrounding avian companions, likely shrikes or similar small birds, observe the goose’s activity, suggesting a study of interspecies interaction within a shared habitat. The inclusion of shells and the detailed vegetation underscores the artist’s interest in cataloguing the diversity of the natural world.

Technique & Style

Executed in transparent watercolor washes, the image builds depth through successive glazing, allowing subtle color shifts and luminous effects. Gold pigment is applied to the circular border and to highlight the branches, lending a decorative sheen reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts. Fine brushwork captures feather texture and the delicate contours of shells, while the overall composition balances scientific observation with ornamental elegance.

History & Provenance

The work is attributed to Joris Hoefnagel, a Flemish painter and draftsman noted for his natural history illustrations and topographical studies. Trained in the manuscript illumination tradition, Hoefnagel applied those skills to standalone drawings such as this, which formed part of a larger series of bird plates produced in the late sixteenth century.

Context

During the late 1500s, northern European artists began integrating detailed botanical and zoological studies into decorative art forms. Hoefnagel’s bird plates exemplify this trend, merging the empirical curiosity of naturalists with the ornamental language of courtly illumination, thereby contributing to the emergence of floral and fauna still‑life genres in the region.