Plate 65: Blackbird, Starling(?), and Other Birds c. 1575 - 1580

Joris Hoefnagel painted this watercolor and gouache on paper, "Plate 65: Blackbird, Starling(?), and Other Birds," around 1575-1600. Dominating the scene are various birds, each meticulously rendered. In Northern European art of the era, birds were not mere decoration; they carried rich symbolic weight. Take, for instance, the blackbird. In the medieval mind, it was often linked to the darker aspects of human nature, embodying temptation or spiritual darkness. Yet, even earlier, consider the raven in ancient mythologies. Odin's ravens, Huginn and Muninn, carried thoughts and memories, bridging the divine and mortal realms. Now note the inscription, "Turdus ipse sibi mortem cacat." This proverb illustrates a deeper anxiety about self-destruction, echoing through centuries. The birds become symbols of our inner struggles, their depiction a mirror reflecting human frailties and anxieties.