Who painted Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug?

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug was painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1594.

Where can I see Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug?

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug?

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug

Joris Hoefnagel , 1594

Plate 71: Two Wasps and a Pill Bug 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 portrays two wasps alongside a pill bug. Executed in watercolor with touches of gold on a parchment support, the image measures only a few inches yet demonstrates a meticulous observation of insect anatomy.

Subject & Meaning

The composition focuses on three terrestrial arthropods, rendered with lifelike accuracy. By isolating the wasps and the pill bug against a neutral background, Hoefnagel emphasizes their structural details, suggesting an interest in cataloguing nature rather than allegorical interpretation.

Technique & Style

Watercolor washes provide subtle tonal gradations, while fine gold highlights accentuate the glossy exoskeletons. The delicate brushwork captures the texture of wings and segmented bodies, reflecting a hybrid of medieval illumination precision and emerging Renaissance naturalism.

History & Provenance

The piece belongs to Hoefnagel’s series of illustrated plates intended for scientific and decorative manuscripts. As one of the later examples of illuminated parchment, it marks a transitional moment when artists began to move from codex decoration toward independent natural history illustration.

Context

During the late sixteenth century, northern Europe saw a growing fascination with flora and fauna, driven by exploration and the rise of empirical study. Hoefnagel’s work exemplifies this trend, merging his background in topographical drawing with a nascent desire to document the natural world in a systematic fashion.