Plate 67: Large White and Small White Butterfly Caterpillars, Hornworm Caterpillar, Broom Moth Caterpillar, and Others
c.1575/1590s
Medium
watercolor and gold paint on parchment
Dimensions
page size (approximate): 14.3 x 18.4 cm (5 5/8 x 7 1/4 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Lessing J. Rosenwald
Accession Number
1987.20.6.68
Art Historical Context
In the late 16th century, artist Joris Hoefnagel crafted exquisite natural history illustrations that captured the wonders of the insect world with astonishing precision. *Plate 67: Large White and Small White Butterflypillars, Hornworm Caterpillar Broom Moth Caterpillar, and* (c. 1575/1590s) is a prime example from his *Archetypa studia* series, showcasing his mastery as a miniaturist. Rendered in watercolor and gold paint on parchment—measuring just 14.3 x 18.4 cm—this highlights Hoefnagel's role as court artist to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, blending Renaissance naturalism with Mannerist ...
About the Artist
Joris Hoefnagel · 1542–1600
Joris Hoefnagel, also known as Georg Hoefnagel, was born in 1542 in Antwerp to Jacob Hoefnagel, a prosperous diamond and luxury goods dealer, and Elisabeth Vezelaer, daughter of the Antwerp mint master. Intended for the family trade, he received a humanistic education, mastering languages, poetry, and music, but pursued art as a self-taught draftsman and miniaturist, receiving his first lessons fr...