Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt (1550-1632), watercolour and bodycolour, over black chalk (with later additions in graphite and pen and brown ink), 1596–1601

De Boodt probably compiled his ‘three large albums’ as follows: one for plants, one for animals, and one for birds. The bird album was damaged, which may explain why all the drawings were rebound in the early 19th century. Only the branch, on which this great spotted woodpecker perches, was affected. The bird itself – identified by the red spot on its head as a male – was left unscathed.

  • Artwork typedrawing
  • Object numberRP-T-BR-2017-1-5-11
  • Dimensionsheight 173 mm x width 234 mm
  • Physical characteristicspenseel in waterverf en dekverf in kleuren over potlood, gehoogd met witte dekverf, pen in bruin