Artwork
Plate 44: Godwit(?) and Sandpipers with Two Gourds
Plate 44: Godwit(?) and Sandpipers with Two Gourds 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 around 1594 by Joris Hoefnagel, a Flemish artist, *Plate 44: Godwit(?) and Sandpipers with Two Gourds* is a watercolor and gold paint drawing on parchment, exemplifying his work in natural history illustration.
Subject & Meaning
The piece features meticulously detailed studies of birds, identified as a potential Godwit and Sandpipers, accompanied by two gourds, highlighting Hoefnagel’s fascination with natural subjects.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor and gold paint on parchment, the work showcases Hoefnagel’s skill as one of the last manuscript illuminators, with a nearly scientific precision in his natural history illustrations.
History & Provenance
While specific provenance details for *Plate 44* are not provided, it is dated to circa 1594, a period during which Hoefnagel was active in contributing to the evolution of topographical and floral still-life art in northern Europe.
Context
This work reflects the artistic practices of its time, blending the precision of early scientific naturalism with the decorative traditions of manuscript illumination.
Legacy
Hoefnagel’s contributions, as seen in *Plate 44*, influenced the development of natural history illustration and topographical drawing in northern Europe during the late 16th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.
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