Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel c. 1575 - 1580

Editor: So, here we have Joris Hoefnagel's "Plate 35: A Hound and a Water Spaniel" created around 1575-1580, using watercolor and drawing. It’s a wonderfully simple image, depicting exactly what the title suggests, enclosed in an oval frame. What really strikes me is the contrast between the smooth, almost elegant lines of the hound, against the somewhat clumsier lines of the Water Spaniel. What compositional elements stand out to you in this work? Curator: Indeed, the dialectic of lines is key. Hoefnagel juxtaposes the verticality and sleek curvature of the hound with the more compact and volumetrically conceived spaniel. The stark contrast between their respective morphologies creates a palpable tension within the pictorial space. Consider also the medium. Watercolor allows for delicate gradations, seen in the hound’s coat, while also facilitating the heavier application needed to render the spaniel’s dense fur. Editor: That’s fascinating. It seems that the physical qualities of watercolor are being exploited to distinguish these different shapes. Would you say that the two shapes of the animals relate, either contrasting with, or harmonizing with, the overall shape of the artwork itself? Curator: A pertinent observation. The enclosing oval form both contains and perhaps slightly constrains the figures, pushing them toward the foreground. This, in turn, emphasizes their artificiality, removing them from a naturalistic setting, as they exist as aesthetic objects, specimens of form. Are the dogs natural forms, or artifical creations in the Mannerist style? Editor: I had not considered that constraint previously. Thank you for helping me examine how line, shape, and materiality operate within this Mannerist watercolor. Curator: Indeed, analyzing how medium and form intertwine allows for a deeper appreciation of Hoefnagel's artistry.