Artwork
Poultry-yard
Poultry-yard is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Melchior d' Hondecoeter. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1650 by Melchior d'Hondecoeter, this oil painting on canvas exemplifies the genre of animal art through its detailed depiction of a poultry yard.
Created in 1650 by Melchior d'Hondecoeter, this oil painting on canvas exemplifies the genre of animal art through its detailed depiction of a poultry yard. The composition features a variety of avian species, specifically including a rooster, ducks, a common pheasant, and lapwings (Vanellus).
As a work rooted in the Dutch tradition of the period, the piece focuses on the naturalistic observation of domestic and wild birds coexisting within a shared environment. The title and depicted subjects indicate a representation of rural life and animal husbandry, characteristic of Hondecoeter's specialized focus on bird portraiture.
Technique & Style
Melchior d'Hondecoeter executed Poultry-yard in oil paint on a canvas support. The painting measures 112 by 125 centimeters and belongs to the animal art genre. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the detailed depiction of avian subjects, specifically featuring a rooster, a Common Pheasant, a duck, and a Vanellus.
Created in the Netherlands, the work exemplifies Hondecoeter's focused handling of bird subjects within the animal painting tradition.
History & Provenance
Poultry-yard was painted by Melchior d'Hondecoeter in 1650 in the Netherlands. The oil-on-canvas painting depicts various birds, including a rooster, a Common Pheasant, a duck, and a Vanellus (lapwing), and measures 112 cm in height by 125 cm in width. The work is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, where it remains today. No specific exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created circa 1650 by the Dutch painter Melchier d’Hondecoeter, Poultry‑yard is an oil on canvas that depicts a bustling farmyard populated by a variety of birds. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is currently conserved in the State Hermitage Museum.
Context
During the mid‑1600s, Dutch artists frequently portrayed birds both as decorative motifs and as symbols of prosperity. D’Hondecoeter, known for his expertise in rendering exotic and game birds, contributed to this genre by combining accurate observation with a theatrical arrangement of the subjects.
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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,…
