Plate 30: A Muscovy(?) Duck, a Four-Legged Duck, and Two Other Birds c. 1575 - 1580

Joris Hoefnagel created this watercolor and gouache on paper which depicts several birds, including what the title suggests is a Muscovy duck. It was made sometime in the late 16th century, during a period of expanding global exploration and scientific inquiry. Hoefnagel's detailed rendering of these birds reflects the era's fascination with the natural world, fueled by voyages to new lands and the desire to document their exotic flora and fauna. But it is also deeply rooted in the cultural context of its time. This image plays with identity through representation: what does it mean to categorize and classify these birds? Is Hoefnagel pointing to the human tendency to impose order on the natural world? The inclusion of a "four-legged duck" seems to challenge the very notion of fixed categories and stable identities. It raises questions about how we define and understand the boundaries of species. The intimate scale of the work invites us to reflect on our relationship with the natural world, our desire to understand and control it, and the inherent ambiguity that resists such efforts.