Who painted Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?)?

Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?) was painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1594.

Where can I see Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?)?

Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?)?

Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?) is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?)

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 6: Four Birds of Prey, Including a Sparrowhawk(?) 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

Joris Hoefnagel, a Flemish painter active in the late sixteenth century, produced a small watercolor on parchment that depicts four birds of prey. Executed around 1594, the work combines delicate washes of pigment with touches of gold, and it is framed by a simple grassy ground and a circular gilt border.

Subject & Meaning

The composition shows four raptorial birds perched on branches and stumps, each rendered in a different palette: a dark brown bird with pronounced talons, a blue‑brown specimen, a brown bird marked with a striped breast, and a smaller bird adorned with a red cap and blue leg ribbon. Latin labels above the scene likely identify the species, while the whimsical hat adds a light‑hearted element.

Technique & Style

Hoefnagel employed watercolor glazing, building colour through successive translucent layers, and applied gold paint to outline the border and accentuate details. The precise rendering of feathers and the naturalistic treatment of the birds reflect his background in manuscript illumination and his interest in scientific observation.

History & Provenance

Created as part of Hoefnagel’s broader output of natural‑history studies and decorative miniatures, the drawing belongs to a period when northern European artists were exploring floral and fauna still‑lifes. It survives as a testament to his role among the last generation of illuminated manuscript artists before the rise of printed book illustration.

Context

The piece aligns with the late Renaissance fascination for cataloguing nature, a trend that Hoefnagel pursued in both his topographical maps and his detailed studies of plants and animals. Its modest size and decorative gold framing suggest it may have been intended for a private collector or as a component of a larger illuminated volume.