3-041-780 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Sour Orange, Terrestrial Mollusk, and Larkspur; Mira calligraphiae monumenta, 1561-1562; illumination added 1591-1596. Additional Info: On this page, Hoefnagel echoed the swirling lines of calligraphy with the curved, stocky body of a terrestrial mollusk; likewise, the rounded sections of the orange in the center resemble the twisting loops created by the calligrapher. The graceful petals and delicate lavender color of the larkspur blooms to the right, meanwhile, balance the more robust forms of the slug and piece of fruit.