Where can I see Plate 30: A Muscovy(?) Duck, a Four-Legged Duck, and Two Other Birds?

Plate 30: A Muscovy(?) Duck, a Four-Legged Duck, and Two Other Birds is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 30: A Muscovy(?) Duck, a Four-Legged Duck, and Two Other Birds?

Plate 30: A Muscovy(?) Duck, a Four-Legged Duck, and Two Other Birds is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Plate 30: A Muscovy(?) Duck, a Four-Legged Duck, and Two Other Birds

Plate 30: A Muscovy(?) Duck, a Four-Legged Duck, and Two 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.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1594, this small-scale work by Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel combines watercolor and gold on parchment. It presents four avian subjects arranged within a circular border, each rendered with careful observation of plumage and posture. The composition rests on a muted beige ground punctuated by modest green foliage, giving the piece a restrained, elegant quality.

Subject & Meaning

The central figures include a bird identified as a Muscovy duck, an unusual four‑legged duck, and two additional waterfowl. Their varied stances—some perched, others swimming—highlight differences in anatomy and behavior, suggesting Hoefnagel’s intent to document the diversity of bird forms rather than convey narrative symbolism.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employs transparent watercolor washes to model feather texture, while fine gold accents outline details and enhance the decorative frame. The delicate brushwork and precise line work reflect the influence of manuscript illumination, a medium in which the artist was highly skilled, and anticipate later northern European still‑life conventions.

History & Provenance

The drawing belongs to a series of natural‑history plates produced by Hoefnagel in the late sixteenth century, a period when he was active in both courtly and scholarly circles. Though the original collection is not fully documented, the work has survived in a private manuscript portfolio that passed through several European hands before entering a museum collection in the twentieth century.

Context

At the time of its creation, detailed studies of flora and fauna were gaining popularity among aristocratic patrons interested in scientific observation. Hoefnagel’s work aligns with this trend, bridging artistic representation and emerging naturalist inquiry, and contributes to the broader development of illustrated encyclopedic projects in the Low Countries.