Artwork
Birds in a park
Birds in a park is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Melchior d' Hondecoeter. It dates from 1694 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium of oil paint on canvas was the standard technical approach for such large-scale genre scenes of the Dutch Golden Age.
Created in 1686, Birds in a park is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. The work measures 112 cm in height and 140 cm in width. As a piece classified within the animal art genre by Melchior d'Hondecoeter, the painting demonstrates the artist's characteristic handling of avian subjects within a parkland setting.
The medium of oil paint on canvas was the standard technical approach for such large-scale genre scenes of the Dutch Golden Age.
History & Provenance
The painting Birds in a park was completed in 1686, as indicated by the artist’s date and confirmed by the Rijksmuseum’s records.
Its early ownership can be traced through a documented chain: the work was held by Lucretia Johanna van Winter, followed by Hendrik Six van Hillegom, then Jan Pieter Six VI, Pieter Hendrik Six van Vromade, and Jan Six van Vromade. By the modern era, it entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it resides under the care of the Dienst Verspreide Rijkscollecties.
The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Its inventory number is SK-C-1945.
The work was included in the exhibition “Hondecoeter: Master of the Baroque Animal Painting” held at the Rijksmuseum from 13 October 2023 to 7 January 2024.
Overview
Birds in a park is an oil painting by Melchior d'Hondecoeter, a Dutch artist known for his depictions of birds in landscaped settings.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a diverse array of birds, including geese, ducks, and peacocks, in a rocky, leafy environment. A white hen and red rooster are central, surrounded by chicks, while other birds populate the scene.
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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,…
