Artwork
Parklandschaft mit Geflügel
Parklandschaft mit Geflügel is an unspecified painting by Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton. It dates from 1714 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Classified within the genre of animal art, the work presents a parkland setting populated by various species of poultry and game birds.
Classified within the genre of animal art, the work presents a parkland setting populated by various species of poultry and game birds. The depicted fauna includes a chicken, a duck, and a member of the Phasianidae family, which encompasses pheasants and related fowl. A stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) is also rendered within the scene.
By combining domesticated fowl, ornamental game birds, and an insect within a landscaped park environment, the painting operates in the tradition of curated natural-history compositions, presenting a cross-section of avian and insect life as a harmonious tableau rather than a narrative or allegorical scene.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum and remains on display there, listed in the museum’s inventory under the accession number that corresponds to its entry in the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings. It was included in the museum’s permanent exhibition of European paintings, where it has been shown since its accession.
Context
Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton's Parklandschaft mit Geflügel exemplifies 18th-century animal painting within the academic tradition, reflecting the era's fascination with natural history subjects. The work's precise depiction of poultry and insects like Lucanus cervus aligns with contemporary scientific illustration interests, as seen in the Kunsthistorisches Museum's collection of such works. Its classification as animal art within the museum's holdings underscores its significance in the artist's oeuvre focused on meticulously observed natural subjects, situated among other still lifes and animal paintings that contributed to the genre's development in Central European art circles.
Overview
Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton, an early‑18th‑century painter of Southern Netherlandish origin active in Austria, executed the oil painting Parklandschaft mit Geflügel circa 1714. The work is part of the permanent holdings of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum and presents a lively park scene populated by a variety of birds and insects.
Technique & Style
Hamilton renders the plumage with meticulous brushwork, capturing the texture of feathers and the subtle play of light across their surfaces. A stark chiaroscuro treatment deepens the surrounding foliage and architectural hints, allowing the illuminated birds to emerge with pronounced contrast against the dimmed landscape.
Artist & collection
Artist
Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton (c. 1664 – 1750), was an 18th-century painter from the Southern Netherlands active in Austria.
A Rooster and Turkey Fighting
A Rooster and Turkey Fighting
Geese and Ducks
A Hen with Peacocks and a Turkey
Poultry-yard
Guinea fowls with guinea pigs
Birds in a Park
The Raven Robbed of the Feathers He Wore to Adorn Himself
Birds
Two Peacocks Threatening a Hen with Chicks, Known as ‘The Threatened Hen’
The chicken yard- Totes Geflügel