Artwork

Plate 53: Two Common or Mediterranean Chameleons above San Sebastián, Spain

Plate 53: Two Common or Mediterranean Chameleons above San Sebastián, Spain 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 watercolor on parchment shows two Mediterranean chameleons perched above a view of the coastal town of San Sebastián in northern Spain. The work is attributed to Joris Hoefnagel, a Flemish artist whose oeuvre bridges natural history illustration and early modern landscape drawing.

Subject & Meaning

The composition juxtaposes detailed zoological observation with a recognizable geographic setting, pairing the exotic reptiles with a recognizable shoreline. By placing the chameleons above the town, Hoefnagel emphasizes the coexistence of natural and human environments, reflecting a curiosity about the natural world that was emerging in the late sixteenth century.

Technique & Style

Executed in transparent watercolor enhanced with touches of gold paint, the piece employs the fine brushwork typical of manuscript illumination while adopting a freer, more observational approach to both flora and topography. The gold accents highlight the reptiles’ scales and add a subtle decorative element without overwhelming the naturalistic rendering.

History & Provenance

Hoefnagel, originally trained for commerce before turning to art, produced this drawing as part of a larger series of naturalistic plates. The work survived in a private collection before entering a museum archive in the twentieth century, where it has been catalogued as Plate 53 within his illustrated folios of plants, animals, and landscapes.