Artwork
The Monkey Sculptor
The Monkey Sculptor is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist David Teniers the Younger. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of specific tools and the focused activity of the animal underscore the thematic exploration of creativity and mimicry within the visual arts.
The work depicts a monkey engaged in the act of sculpting, surrounded by artistic paraphernalia including glasses, a painting, and sculptural elements. This imagery aligns with the genre of animal scenes where primates mimic human professions, a motif often used to satirize artistic pretension or the nature of imitation. By portraying a monkey as a sculptor, the painting likely serves as an allegory for the concept of art imitating art, or perhaps critiques the perceived lack of originality in certain artistic practices.
The inclusion of specific tools and the focused activity of the animal underscore the thematic exploration of creativity and mimicry within the visual arts.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1660, this work is an oil painting applied to a copper support. The small-scale composition measures 23 cm in height and 32 cm in width. As a genre scene, the image depicts a monkey engaged in the act of sculpting, surrounded by attributes such as glasses and other artistic tools.
The choice of copper as a substrate allows for the fine detail characteristic of Teniers' approach to such subjects, presenting a smooth surface that enhances the precision of the depicted figures and objects.
History & Provenance
The Monkey Sculptor is dated to 1660 based on the internal record of David Teniers the Younger’s copper painting, which places the work’s creation in that year.
The painting entered the Museo del Prado in Madrid as part of the Spanish royal collection; it is listed in the holdings of Ferdinand VII of Spain before transfer to the museum’s custody. The work has remained in the Prado’s collection since, documented within the Royal Palace of Madrid’s holdings.
The painting The Monkey Sculptor by David Teniers the Younger is held at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is catalogued under the inventory number P00968. It entered the collection of Ferdinand VII of Spain and remains on display in the Royal Palace of Madrid, having been exhibited as part of the museum's permanent holdings since its acquisition.
Overview
David Teniers the Younger produced The Monkey Sculptor in 1660. Executed in copper, the work presents a lively genre scene that now belongs to the collection of the Museo del Prado.
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Artist & collection
Artist
David Teniers the Younger or David Teniers II was a Flemish Baroque painter, printmaker, and artist.
