Artwork
Cock, a Hen and other Poultry
Cock, a Hen and other Poultry is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter Jansz. van Ruyven. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created in 1690, this oil on canvas presents a domestic tableau of poultry set against a subdued countryside backdrop.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
van Ruyven and is housed in the Rijksmuseum, where it forms part of the museum’s collection of animal paintings.
The painting depicts a rooster alongside a hen and other poultry, a common motif in Dutch animal art of the late 17th century that underscores themes of domesticity and the natural order. The inclusion of birds functions symbolically as emblems of fertility, vigilance, and rustic abundance, reflecting contemporary interpretations of the countryside’s bounty. The work is attributed to Pieter Jansz. van Ruyven and is housed in the Rijksmuseum, where it forms part of the museum’s collection of animal paintings.
Technique & Style
The work in oil paint on canvas measures 73 cm by 86 cm and depicts a rooster, a hen and other poultry in a barnyard scene. Executed in 1680 by Pieter Jansz. van Ruyven, the painting exemplifies animal art of the period with precise brushwork and naturalistic lighting that emphasizes the texture of feathers and plumage. The surface retains its original handling and shows no significant deterioration, preserving the formal composition and stylistic qualities characteristic of Dutch Baroque animal painting.
History & Provenance
The painting Cock, a Hen and other Poultry was created by Pieter Jansz. van Ruyven in 1680. Executed in oil on canvas, the work depicts various poultry and falls within the genre of animal art. Historical records indicate that the piece was owned by Dirk Margarethus Alewijn. It is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
The painting Cock, a Hen and other Poultry by Pieter Jansz. van Ruyven is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work, created in 1680, is executed in oil on canvas and measures 73 cm in height by 86 cm in width. While the museum currently houses the piece, historical records indicate it was previously owned by Dirk Margarethus Alewijn.
No specific inventory or accession numbers are provided in the available documentation, nor is there any recorded exhibition history for this specific artwork in the current sources.
Overview
Created in 1690, this oil on canvas presents a domestic tableau of poultry set against a subdued countryside backdrop. A prominently displayed rooster, rendered in brown and white plumage with a vivid red comb, dominates the foreground, accompanied by a white hen and a scattering of ducks and chickens. The scene conveys a quiet, bucolic atmosphere characteristic of late‑seventeenth‑century Dutch genre painting.
Context
The piece belongs to a broader genre of Dutch animal paintings that flourished during the Golden Age, when artists frequently depicted farmyard scenes as reflections of societal values. Van Ruyven’s choice of poultry aligns with contemporary market demand for works that combined realism with moral undertones, situating the canvas within the period’s artistic and economic currents.
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