Plate 63: Six Small Birds, Including a Bluethroat and a Cuckoo(?)

Joris Hoefnagel

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of birds perched on and around a gnarled tree. The painting features a collection of six birds, each distinct in its coloration and form, situated on a barren landscape where the earth appears rugged and eroded. The birds are distributed across the scene, with some perched on the twisted branches of a leafless tree, while others are stationed on the ground or near a body of water below a cliff. The artwork is rendered with fine detail, capturing the feathers and postures of the birds intricately. Latin text is inscribed at the top of the image.