Plate 23: A Brandt's Cormorant with a Juvenile Crowned Night Heron

Joris Hoefnagel

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a cormorant and a night heron perched on a gnarled tree branch. The painting showcases both birds, with the cormorant in the foreground resting on the water and the night heron perched on the barren branch of a detailed tree. The colors of the birds, especially the blues and blacks of the cormorant, contrast with the earthy tones and textures of the tree. The illustration is surrounded by an oval frame, and Latin text is inscribed at the top. The style resembles natural history illustrations, similar to works by John James Audubon.