Who painted Poultry Merchant?

Poultry Merchant was painted by Cornelis Jacobsz. Delff in 1631.

Where can I see Poultry Merchant?

Poultry Merchant is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Poultry Merchant?

Poultry Merchant is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Poultry Merchant?

Museum-quality prints of Poultry Merchant are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Poultry Merchant

Cornelis Jacobsz. Delff , 1631

Poultry Merchant is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Cornelis Jacobsz. Delff. It dates from 1631 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

The medium of oil on panel allows for the fine detail and controlled handling characteristic of small-scale Dutch genre works of the period.

Poultry Merchant is an oil painting executed on panel, a support typical of Dutch seventeenth-century cabinet pictures. The work measures 90.5 by 143 cm, a horizontal format suited to a market or shop scene. It is classified as a genre painting, consistent with the everyday subject matter associated with Cornelis Jacobsz.

Delff's practice. The medium of oil on panel allows for the fine detail and controlled handling characteristic of small-scale Dutch genre works of the period.

The painting is held in the Rijksmuseum collection, having previously been owned by the collector Abraham Bredius.

Context

Cornelis Jacobsz Delff's Poultry Merchant (1631) occupies a pivotal position in Dutch Golden Age genre painting, reflecting the era's fascination with everyday commerce and domestic abundance. The work exemplifies the artist's mastery of still life within a broader commercial context, where foodstuffs symbolized prosperity and civic virtue. Scholarship emphasizes its significance as a representative example of 17th-century Dutch genre scenes, housed in the Rijksmuseum since its acquisition by Abraham Bredius, who played a key role in preserving and contextualizing Delff's oeuvre within Dutch art history.

Overview

Poultry Merchant is a 1631 oil painting by Cornelis Jacobsz. Delff, a Dutch artist. The work is a genre scene, depicting everyday life.

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows an older man with a white beard and black hat holding a rooster, accompanied by a woman in a red jacket examining an object. A dog is present on the floor. The scene is set against a dark background, focusing attention on the figures and objects.

History & Provenance

The painting is held at the Rijksmuseum, indicating its significance in Dutch art heritage.