Artwork
Plate 55: A Tawny Owl, an Eagle Owl, and Two other Owls
Plate 55: A Tawny Owl, an Eagle Owl, and Two other Owls 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 by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel, this small-scale work combines watercolor and gold paint on a sheet of parchment. It presents a quartet of owls—identified as a tawny owl, an eagle owl, and two additional species—arranged within a circular frame. The composition balances meticulous natural observation with the decorative conventions of manuscript illumination.
Subject & Meaning
The four birds are shown perched and nestled, two atop a slender branch and two crouched within a feathered nest. Their alert eyes and detailed plumage emphasize nocturnal vigilance. Encircling the image, a Latin inscription translates to “Many nocturnal creatures hide under the roof,” reinforcing the theme of hidden night‑life.
Technique & Style
Hoefnagel employed transparent watercolor washes to build subtle tonal layers, then applied fine gold pigment to accentuate feather edges and convey a luminous quality. The delicate glazing technique allows the parchment’s surface to glow, while the restrained background—a faint greenish plane—keeps attention on the birds.
History & Provenance
The drawing belongs to Hoefnagel’s broader output of natural‑history illustration and illuminated manuscripts, produced for a learned audience in late‑sixteenth‑century Northern Europe. It reflects his role in advancing the emerging genre of floral and fauna still‑lifes, though its exact ownership trail before entering modern collections remains undocumented.
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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