Plate 40: Eight Spiders, Including a Cross Spider, with an Egg Sac

Joris Hoefnagel

National Gallery of Art

The image shows seven spiders of different colors and body shapes arranged in a circle within an oval boundary. Each spider is illustrated with detailed features, emphasizing their legs and body patterns. In the center is a long-legged spider, resembling a harvestman. The purpose of the drawing appears to be to illustrate the variations in spider anatomy and appearance.