Artwork
Plate 56: Barn Owls with a Mouse, Eagle Owl(?) and Another Owl

Plate 56: Barn Owls with a Mouse, Eagle Owl(?) and Another Owl 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 around 1594, *Plate 56: Barn Owls with a Mouse, Eagle Owl(?
About this work
Overview
Created around 1594, *Plate 56: Barn Owls with a Mouse, Eagle Owl(?) and Another Owl* is a watercolor and gold paint drawing on parchment by Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel.
Subject & Meaning
The subject features a group of owls, including Barn Owls, an Eagle Owl (tentatively identified), and another unspecified owl, accompanied by a mouse, showcasing Hoefnagel's focus on natural history illustration.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor and gold paint on parchment, the work exemplifies Hoefnagel's adherence to manuscript illumination traditions, notable for its meticulous naturalistic detail.
History & Provenance
As one of the last prominent manuscript illuminators, Hoefnagel's *Plate 56* contributes to his legacy in late 16th-century European art, specifically influencing topographical drawing and floral still-life painting in the north.
Context
Within northern European art of the late 16th century, this piece situates Hoefnagel at the intersection of natural history documentation and the waning tradition of manuscript illumination.
Legacy
*Plate 56* reflects Hoefnagel's impact on the development of naturalistic representation in northern Europe, bridging manuscript illumination and the emergence of detailed, observational art forms.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joris Hoefnagel or Georg Hoefnagel (1542 – 24 July 1601) was a Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist, draftsman and merchant.



















