Artwork
Landscape with Exotic Animals
Landscape with Exotic Animals is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Melchior d' Hondecoeter. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Landscape with Exotic Animals is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for Melchior d'Hondecoeter's late-career output.
Landscape with Exotic Animals is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for Melchior d'Hondecoeter's late-career output. The painting measures 169 cm in height by 156.8 cm in width, a large-scale format consistent with decorative landscape commissions of the period.
Stylistically, the work belongs to the landscape genre, depicting exotic animals within a naturalistic setting, a hallmark of d'Hondecoeter's specialization in animal and bird pieces rendered with detailed observation. No information on condition, handling, or specific stylistic qualities is provided by the available sources.
History & Provenance
Landscape with Exotic Animals was created in 1690 by the Dutch painter Melchior d'Hondecoeter. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 169 cm in height and 156.8 cm in width. The painting's ownership history includes the collection of Willem V, Prince of Orange-Nassau.
It was subsequently held at Het Loo Palace before entering the collections of the Mauritshuis and the Rijksmuseum. The work is currently located at the Mauritshuis.
Landscape with Exotic Animals, painted by Melchior d'Hondecoeter in 1690, is held in the collection of the Mauritshuis. The work was previously part of the collection of Willem V, Prince of Orange-Nassau, and was also associated with Het Loo Palace and the Rijksmuseum. The painting is executed in oil on canvas and measures 169 cm in height by 156.8 cm in width. No specific inventory number or exhibition history for this work is provided in the available sources.
Overview
Landscape with Exotic Animals is a 1696 oil painting by Melchior d'Hondecoeter, a Dutch artist known for depicting birds in serene settings. This work showcases a diverse assembly of animals in a natural environment.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features an unusual mix of fauna, including deer, sheep, goats, and exotic horned creatures, set amidst dark, leafy trees and a softly glowing, cloudy sky. The crowded composition highlights the artist's interest in showcasing varied species together.
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,…
