Plate 51: Crossbeak, Chough, Bee-Eater, and Other Birds c. 1575 - 1580

Joris Hoefnagel created this watercolour and gouache drawing of birds on vellum around 1575-1600. The drawing comes from a tradition of natural history illustration that was popular in Europe at the time. European Aristocrats began collecting specimens of flora and fauna, so artists were commissioned to create detailed images of these specimens for scientific study. Note how the artist has tried to arrange the birds in a visually pleasing composition, on branches and rocks rather than just focusing on scientific accuracy. Hoefnagel was part of a vibrant intellectual circle in Antwerp, where the influence of humanist thought promoted the study of the natural world. His patrons were members of the Habsburg court, one of the most important political institutions of Early Modern Europe. To understand this work better, researchers consult not only art historical sources, but also scientific texts and archival documents relating to the Habsburg court. This image reminds us that the meaning of art always depends on its social context.