Artwork
A Hunter’s Bag near a Tree Stump with a Magpie, Known as ‘The Contemplative Magpie’
A Hunter’s Bag near a Tree Stump with a Magpie, Known as ‘The Contemplative Magpie’ is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Melchior d' Hondecoeter. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The palette is muted yet luminous, with subtle glazes that heighten the iridescence of the bird’s plumage and the sheen of the leather bag.
The work is an oil painting on canvas executed in 1678 by Melchior d’Hondecoeter.
The handling combines fine, linear draftsmanship with broader, blended passages to articulate textures: the soft feathers of the magpie, the taut hide of the hunter’s pouch, and the rough bark of the tree stump. The palette is muted yet luminous, with subtle glazes that heighten the iridescence of the bird’s plumage and the sheen of the leather bag. Compositionally, the still-life arrangement is anchored by a low horizon, directing attention to the magpie perched above the bag, while the vertical stump and diagonal branch introduce rhythm and tension.
Condition is not documented in the cited sources.
History & Provenance
Created in 1678, this oil painting on canvas was executed by the Dutch artist Melchior d'Hondecoeter. The work, measuring 215 cm in height and 134 cm in width, depicts a still life scene featuring birds. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the details of its ownership chain prior to its current location are not provided in the available records, the piece is presently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, also known as the National Art Gallery of the Netherlands.
The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam and is catalogued under the accession number SK-A-2555. It was created by Melchior d' Hondecoeter in 1678 and has been displayed in the museum's Dutch Golden Age galleries as part of rotating exhibitions on Dutch still-life painting.
Overview
Created in 1690, this oil painting by Melchior d’Hondecoeter presents a quiet, naturalistic scene centered on a magpie perched on a tree stump beside a hunter’s bag. The composition includes several dead waterfowl scattered on the ground, a small cage in the distance, and a muted landscape of trees under a cloudy sky, exemplifying the Dutch Golden Age’s refined still‑life approach.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes the living magpie, attentively observing the fallen birds, with the lifeless game, highlighting themes of mortality and the relationship between humans and nature. The hunter’s bag and the cage suggest human intervention, while the magpie’s contemplative pose invites reflection on the cycle of life and death within a pastoral setting.
Context
During the late 17th century, Dutch artists increasingly specialized in genre scenes that celebrated domestic and natural subjects. D’Hondecoeter, renowned for his depictions of birds, contributed to this trend by integrating exotic and native species within carefully constructed landscapes, aligning with contemporary tastes for scientific observation and decorative art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch pronunciation:; c. 1636 – 3 April 1695), Dutch animalier painter, was born in Utrecht and died in Amsterdam. After the start of his career, he painted virtually exclusively bird subjects,…
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