Plate 11; Four Fish and Shells (1575-1590)

Dated 1575-1590, "Plate 11; Four Fish and Shells" is an artwork by Joris Hoefnagel. The catalogue places it in Plants & Animals. The format is landscape. Plants & Animals in brief: Naturalists and artists often worked together, especially on voyages and in published surveys of flora and fauna. Images of plants and animals run from medieval herbals and bestiaries to the scientific illustration of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Historical background, 1575-1590: Elsewhere, the Mughal court in India developed a distinctive tradition of miniature painting, and printed images continued to travel widely between countries. The Protestant Reformation changed how religious imagery was commissioned in northern Europe, while Venetian painters made rich colour and brushwork a central concern.

Buying "Plate 11; Four Fish and Shells" means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks.

Flemish, 1542–1600

If you like the visual language of Joris Hoefnagel, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.