Artwork
Still Life with Dead Birds
Still Life with Dead Birds is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Carstian Luyckx. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland. Created circa 1650, this oil painting presents a somber still‑life arrangement typical of the Flemish Baroque.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition includes Kraak porcelain, a type of blue-and-white Chinese ware that was highly prized in 17th-century Europe.
The painting depicts a classic still life arrangement featuring dead poultry displayed on a table covered with a cloth. The composition includes Kraak porcelain, a type of blue-and-white Chinese ware that was highly prized in 17th-century Europe. While the work focuses on the tangible representation of these objects, the inclusion of the dead birds and fine ceramics reflects the genre's common focus on material abundance and the transience of life.
The specific combination of game and imported porcelain highlights the wealth and global trade connections of the era.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1650, this still life by Carstian Luyckx is an oil painting on an unspecified support. The work measures 48.9 cm in height and 64.4 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition features a detailed arrangement of poultry and a tablecloth alongside Kraak porcelain, characteristic of the genre's focus on textured surfaces and domestic objects. The piece is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
History & Provenance
Still Life with Dead Birds was created in 1650 by the artist Carstian Luyckx. Executed in oil paint, the work depicts poultry, Kraak porcelain, and a tablecloth. The painting is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, where it remains located.
No further details regarding its commission, earlier ownership history, or specific acquisition date by the gallery are provided in the available records.
Carstian Luyckx's Still Life with Dead Birds, created in 1650, is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland. The gallery is located in Dublin and serves as the current repository for this oil-on-canvas work. While the source material confirms the painting's presence in this specific institution, it does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece.
Additionally, the available records do not document any exhibition history for the work, leaving its public display history unrecorded in the provided data.
Overview
Created circa 1650, this oil painting presents a somber still‑life arrangement typical of the Flemish Baroque. A darkened backdrop emphasizes a modest wooden table draped with a white cloth, upon which lie a heap of dead birds and two blue‑and‑white porcelain dishes adorned with decorative motifs.
Context
Within the broader Flemish Baroque tradition, such still‑lifes often incorporated exotic imports like Kraak porcelain, highlighting Antwerp’s role as a trading hub. The inclusion of poultry and tableware aligns with contemporary tastes for detailed, moralizing domestic scenes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carstian Luyckx, also known as the Monogrammist KL (1623 – c. 1675), was a Flemish painter and draughtsman who specialized in still lifes in various subgenres including flower still lifes, fruit still lifes, fish still…
