
Plate 63: Six Small Birds, Including a Bluethroat and a Cuckoo(?)
Hoefnagel, Joris · Flemish
c.1575/1590s
- Medium
- watercolor and gold paint on parchment
- Classification
- Drawing
- Period
- 1551 to 1600
- Image size
- 4920 × 3859px
Description
This is a painting of birds perched on and around a gnarled tree. The painting features a collection of six birds, each distinct in its coloration and form, situated on a barren landscape where the earth appears rugged and eroded. The birds are distributed across the scene, with some perched on the twisted branches of a leafless tree, while others are stationed on the ground or near a body of water below a cliff. The artwork is rendered with fine detail, capturing the feathers and postures of the birds intricately. Latin text is inscribed at the top of the image.
Rights & Source
Open access image from the National Gallery of Art, released under its open access program. Metadata via the NGA Open Data Program (CC0).