Artwork

Plate 6: A Variety of Oxen with a Ram and a Water Buffalo(?) by a Plane Tree

Plate 6: A Variety of Oxen with a Ram and a Water Buffalo(?) by a Plane Tree 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 miniature drawing by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel depicts a small herd gathered beneath a plane tree. Rendered on parchment with watercolor and touches of gold, the composition presents five domesticated animals—a group of oxen, a ram and a water buffalo—arranged in a naturalistic setting that emphasizes both their individual forms and their collective presence.

Subject & Meaning

The work records a variety of livestock commonly found on northern European farms, highlighting the diversity of species that a farmer might keep together. The ram, positioned slightly apart, draws the viewer’s eye, perhaps suggesting a watchful guardian role, while the oxen’s warm brown coats and the water buffalo’s distinctive silhouette convey a study of comparative anatomy and behavior.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employed delicate watercolor washes to model the animals’ bodies, using subtle gradations of brown, tan and gray to suggest texture.

Hoefnagel employed delicate watercolor washes to model the animals’ bodies, using subtle gradations of brown, tan and gray to suggest texture. Gold paint accentuates the horns, hooves and certain highlights, adding a luminous quality that enhances the three‑dimensional effect. The precise line work and careful observation reflect the artist’s background in natural‑history illustration, merging scientific accuracy with decorative elegance.

History & Provenance

The piece belongs to the final phase of manuscript illumination in the Low Countries, a period when artists like Hoefnagel began to transition from hand‑bound books to independent drawings. It later entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it is displayed alongside other works that illustrate the emergence of topographical and floral still‑life genres in northern European art.