Plate 27: A Duck(?), A Coot, and a Rosefinch(?) c. 1575 - 1580

This is a watercolor painting from a book of natural history illustrations, *The Natural History of Birds*, by Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel, a renowned artist and naturalist, created around 1575-1580. The illustration shows two water birds, a duck(?) and a coot, perched on a rocky shore by the water’s edge, with a rosefinch(?) perched on a branch of an apple tree. The composition of the illustration is characteristic of Hoefnagel’s detailed and realistic style, as he depicts the birds in a natural setting with a variety of plants, including the iconic iris. This intricate detail made Hoefnagel’s work a significant influence on the development of natural history illustration.