Artwork
The Hunt Breakfast
The Hunt Breakfast is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Charles André van Loo. It dates from 1737 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The scene’s iconography emphasizes the social ritual of the hunt’s aftermath, symbolizing bounty, camaraderie, and the refined pleasures of the elite.
The Hunt Breakfast (1737) by Charles André van Loo portrays a leisurely outdoor meal following a hunt. A man and a woman sit together on a blanket, sharing food and drink while a dog rests nearby. The composition includes typical picnic fare, bread, fruit, and vessels, suggesting abundance and the conviviality of aristocratic sport.
The scene’s iconography emphasizes the social ritual of the hunt’s aftermath, symbolizing bounty, camaraderie, and the refined pleasures of the elite. Through its relaxed poses and attentive details, the work celebrates the harmonious blend of sport, nourishment, and genteel companionship.
Technique & Style
The Hunt Breakfast is executed in oil paint on a canvas support, a medium typical of eighteenth‑century French painting. The work measures 59.1 cm in height and 49.5 cm in width and is dated to 1737. The paint is applied in a smooth, layered manner characteristic of oil technique, allowing subtle gradations of tone and detail in the figures, food, and landscape elements depicted. No information on the painting’s current condition or specific handling practices is provided in the sources.
History & Provenance
The Hunt Breakfast is an oil on canvas painting created in 1737 by Charles André van Loo, also known as Carle Vanloo. The work measures 59.1 cm in height and 49.5 cm in width and depicts a picnic scene with figures including a man, woman, dog, and drinking utensils. It is classified as a painting and was executed in the Rococo style.
The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on public display. Documentation of its ownership prior to accession is not detailed in the available sources.
The Hunt Breakfast, an oil on canvas painting by Charles André van Loo created in 1737, is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work measures 59.1 cm in height and 49.5 cm in width. While the painting depicts a scene involving men, women, food, and a dog, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the piece.
Furthermore, the available documentation contains no information regarding the artwork's exhibition history or past display locations prior to its current residence in the museum's collection.
Overview
The oil painting titled "The Hunt Breakfast" presents a lively outdoor gathering, capturing a moment of social interaction and leisure. The composition centers on a group of individuals enjoying a picnic on the grass, with a woman in a vibrant yellow dress prominently featured. Surrounding figures engage in conversation and relaxation, while a dog rests in the foreground.
The scene is set against a backdrop of trees and a distant landscape, suggesting a recreational event in nature.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Carle or Charles-André van Loo (French pronunciation:; 15 February 1705 – 15 July 1765) was a French painter, son of the painter Louis-Abraham van Loo, a younger brother of Jean-Baptiste van Loo and grandson of Jacob van Loo.
