Artwork
Poultry and ducks in a park
Poultry and ducks in a park is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Melchior d' Hondecoeter. It dates from 1689 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition explicitly depicts birds, with specific attention given to ducks and poultry situated within a park setting.
Created in 1677, this oil painting by Melchior d'Hondecoeter presents a scene of animal art focused on avian life. The composition explicitly depicts birds, with specific attention given to ducks and poultry situated within a park setting. As a work classified under the genre of animal art, the subject matter centers on the naturalistic representation of these creatures in an outdoor environment rather than conveying complex allegorical symbolism or religious meaning. The imagery serves primarily as a detailed observation of bird behavior and plumage within a landscaped context.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on canvas, a medium typical of Dutch Baroque animal painters. The composition shows poultry and ducks arranged naturallyistically within a park setting, reflecting the artist's focus on realistic avian subjects and meticulous attention to feather detail. Brushwork demonstrates controlled handling to render texture and depth, aligning with the formal stylistic qualities observed in contemporary 17th-century wildlife painting.
The support is a canvas substrate, consistent with the material specifications recorded for the piece. The painting's dimensions measure 52 cm in height by 63.5 cm in width, as documented in the source metadata.
History & Provenance
Created in 1677, Poultry and ducks in a park is an oil painting on canvas by the Dutch artist Melchior d'Hondecoeter. The work measures 52 cm in height and 63.5 cm in width. While specific details regarding its original commission or early ownership history are not provided in the available records, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
It forms part of the holdings associated with the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection located at the museum.
Poultry and ducks in a park is held at the Rijksmuseum as part of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection. The work is catalogued under inventory number SK-A-1860. It was created in 1677 and measures 52 cm by 63.5 cm. The painting has been part of the Rijksmuseum's exhibition "Dutch and Flemish Masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum Collection" and was featured in the exhibition "Dutch Golden Age: Masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum" in 2015-2016.
Context
Melchior d' Hondecoeter specialized in animal scenes featuring birds and waterfowl, establishing himself as a leading Dutch Golden Age painter of wildlife. His work Poultry and ducks in a park (1677) exemplifies his meticulous observation of avian subjects within naturalistic park settings. The painting entered the Rijksmuseum collection, reflecting the institution's longstanding focus on Dutch masters and genre scenes.
Scholarship highlights this piece as representative of Hondecoeter's role in advancing animal painting beyond mere decorative motifs into detailed natural studies.
Overview
Created in 1689 by Dutch painter Melchior d’Hondecoeter, this oil on canvas presents a cluster of birds set within a dimly lit, park‑like environment. The composition centers on domestic fowl and waterfowl, rendered with a focus on their plumage and posture, while the surrounding foliage remains indistinct.
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,…
