Plate 55: Three Green Dragonflies with Brown Wings c. 1575 - 1580

Editor: So, we’re looking at “Plate 55: Three Green Dragonflies with Brown Wings,” a watercolor drawing by Joris Hoefnagel from around 1575-1580. It’s delicate, almost jewel-like. What stands out to you about it? Curator: Immediately, the materials. We have to consider the cost and sourcing of pigments like this green. What did that mean in the 16th century? Watercolour itself demands a certain type of paper, impacting production costs. Also, let’s think about the labour. Was Hoefnagel himself grinding pigments? Training matters too, affecting skill and therefore speed, which dictates how many pieces he could realistically produce, and for whom. Editor: So, not just the finished drawing, but the whole… infrastructure? Curator: Exactly. It shifts our understanding. This isn’t just a pretty picture, but a product of very specific economic and social relationships. The precision in the rendering, consider the time it took to execute! We must ask, what was his patron hoping to show or understand by commissioning such careful work? Was this for display, or scientific study? What kind of value did the owner put on this, material or artistic? Editor: It changes the way I see it completely. Before, I was focused on the beauty, the skill… Curator: And those elements are important, but think, how do they connect to the material realities of the time? Where did this level of expertise fit within the hierarchy of artistic labour? By examining materials and means of production, this intimate portrait gains a bigger cultural perspective. Editor: I see. So it’s about unpacking all the layers of context involved in making and consuming art? I'll definitely consider that approach moving forward.