Plate 21: Reindeer with Melons c. 1575 - 1580

Joris Hoefnagel made this watercolor and gouache painting around the turn of the 17th century. The materials and processes involved—paper, pigments, and meticulous brushwork—speak to a world of artisanal skill, quite different from our own. Consider the labor involved in grinding pigments from minerals and plants, mixing them with a binding medium, and then applying them with precision to create the illusion of depth, texture, and form. The reindeer, delicately rendered, stands in contrast to the lusciously painted melons above. The artist’s hand is evident in every stroke, revealing a keen understanding of light and shadow. By focusing on the materials and making of this image, we see how it embodies a specific moment in history, one defined by craft, knowledge, and the intimate connection between artist and artwork. The painting invites us to reconsider our own relationship to production, labor, and the natural world.