Artwork
The heron hunt
The heron hunt is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Philips Wouwerman. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Produced in Haarlem in 1650, the painting reflects the polished stylistic refinement associated with his mature practice on metal supports.
The Heron Hunt is executed in oil paint on a copper support, a combination Philips Wouwerman used to achieve a smooth, enamel-like surface that heightened the precision of his landscape compositions. The small-scale panel, measuring 25.8 cm in height by 29.5 cm in width, allowed for meticulous handling of detail in the rendered mountain and tree motifs. The copper ground contributed to the luminosity and fine finish characteristic of Wouwerman's cabinet-picture format, well suited to the work's landscape genre classification.
Produced in Haarlem in 1650, the painting reflects the polished stylistic refinement associated with his mature practice on metal supports.
History & Provenance
Philips Wouwerman created The Heron Hunt in 1650 while working in Haarlem. Executed in oil on copper, the painting measures 25.8 by 29.5 cm. The work's documented ownership history begins with Étienne François, duc de Choiseul, and subsequently passed to Louis François, Prince of Conti. Following these aristocratic collections, the piece was held by Claude Tolozan and later Gerrit van der Pot. It eventually entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains housed.
The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Historical records indicate the work was previously owned by Étienne François, duc de Choiseul, as well as Claude Tolozan, Gerrit van der Pot, and Louis François, Prince of Conti. The provided sources do not contain specific inventory numbers or details regarding the artwork's exhibition history.
Overview
Created around 1650 by the Dutch painter Philips Wouwerman, The Herer Hunt is a small‑scale copper painting that presents a lively equestrian scene set within a rugged landscape. The composition balances figures on horseback with a distant river, buildings, and a towering mountain under a sky filled with dense clouds. The work belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a group of riders traversing a mountainous terrain, their horses in motion as they approach a water’s edge where pedestrians pause. The presence of a solitary, prominent tree and the expansive sky suggest a narrative of travel and the challenges of hunting in a wild environment, reflecting the period’s interest in human activity within nature.
Context
During the Dutch Golden Age, landscape painting emerged as a major genre, often integrating genre scenes of daily life and sport. Wouwerman’s focus on equestrian subjects aligns with contemporary tastes for dynamic, narrative depictions of the countryside, while the use of copper reflects a niche market for durable, finely detailed works among affluent collectors.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Philips Wouwerman (also Wouwermans) (24 May 1619 (baptized) – 19 May 1668) was a Dutch painter of hunting, landscape and battle scenes. He became prolific during the Dutch Golden Age and joined the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke.
