Plate 5: Stag Beetle c. 1575 - 1580

Joris Hoefnagel made this Stag Beetle plate with watercolor and gouache on paper in the late 16th century. The intense detail achieved through watercolor and gouache is remarkable when you think about the work involved. Hoefnagel painstakingly rendered the beetle’s form, capturing the textures of its exoskeleton and the delicate hairs on its legs. Look closely, and you can see how the artist built up layers of translucent washes and opaque highlights, creating depth and volume. The precision of the drawing is amazing, but so is the way he has used color to give the insect such lifelike presence. This kind of detailed observation was part of the Northern Renaissance ethos, a celebration of nature’s bounty and an investigation into its secrets. But it was also a very time-consuming process. Consider that each tiny mark required hours of focused work. Hoefnagel’s artistry elevates the craft of observation to a high art.