Who painted Skinned Head of a Young Bull?

Skinned Head of a Young Bull was painted by Felice Boselli in 1696.

Where can I see Skinned Head of a Young Bull?

Skinned Head of a Young Bull is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Skinned Head of a Young Bull?

Skinned Head of a Young Bull is associated with Barbizon school.

Can I buy a print of Skinned Head of a Young Bull?

Museum-quality prints of Skinned Head of a Young Bull are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Skinned Head of a Young Bull

Felice Boselli , 1696

Skinned Head of a Young Bull is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Felice Boselli. It dates from 1696 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts a flayed bull’s head suspended by a rope, its skin peeled back to expose muscle and bone beneath.

The work depicts a flayed bull’s head suspended by a rope, its skin peeled back to expose muscle and bone beneath. This grisly realism aligns with the still-life tradition of vanitas, where the exposed flesh serves as a memento mori, reminding viewers of mortality and the transient nature of life.

The motif of the flayed animal head recurs in Baroque still lifes as a meditation on decay and the inevitability of death, often paired with other perishable subjects such as fruit or game. Here, the young bull’s vulnerability underscores the fragility of life even in its vigor.

History & Provenance

The painting Skinned Head of a Young Bull was created by Felice Boselli around 1690. While some records suggest a broader inception period extending into the early 1700s, 1690 is the primary date associated with the work's origin. The piece is an oil on canvas still life classified within the memento mori genre.

It is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, though its earlier ownership history and specific commission details are not detailed in the available sources.

The painting Skinned Head of a Young Bull by Felice Boselli is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1690, the work is executed in oil on canvas and measures 57.1 cm in height by 70.6 cm in width. The available sources confirm its current location and physical attributes but do not provide specific inventory numbers or details regarding its exhibition history.

Overview

Skinned Head of a Young Bull is a 1696 oil painting by Italian Baroque artist Felice Boselli, characterized by its vivid depiction of a calf's head with skin partially removed.

Technique & Style

Boselli employed thick, expressive brushstrokes, particularly around the mouth and eyes, against a dark background, leveraging chiaroscuro to accentuate the dramatic interplay of light and shadow on the subject's raw, textured surfaces.

Context

Influenced by still-life painter Angelo Maria Crivelli and trained in the Baroque tradition, Boselli's piece reflects a unique blend of detailed game depiction and dramatic lighting, common in Baroque still-life.

Legacy

While specific lasting impacts of Skinned Head of a Young Bull on the broader art historical canon are not well-documented, it remains a striking example of late Baroque still-life painting's ability to evoke powerful emotional responses through vivid, unflinching imagery.