Artwork

Große Landschaft mit Tieren

Große Landschaft mit Tieren, unspecified, 1630
Große Landschaft mit Tieren, unspecified, 1630

Große Landschaft mit Tieren is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1630 by the workshop of Roelant Savery, this painting is classified as animal art and presents a dense assembly of fauna within a landscape setting.

Created in 1630 by the workshop of Roelant Savery, this painting is classified as animal art and presents a dense assembly of fauna within a landscape setting. The composition features a wide variety of species, including a common ostrich, lion, fox, horse, red deer, goat, rabbit, cat, dog, duck, swan, crane, and wild boar, all situated among trees. The work functions as a comprehensive display of biodiversity, bringing together creatures from different habitats and regions into a single unified scene.

By juxtaposing domestic animals with exotic beasts and predators alongside prey, the piece emphasizes the richness of the natural world, serving as a visual catalog of God's creation rather than depicting a specific narrative event or localized environment.

Technique & Style

The work is a 17th‑century oil painting measuring 187 cm in height and 243 cm in width, created within the workshop of Roelant Savery and housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum. It is catalogued as a painting and features a expansive landscape populated by a menagerie that includes a common ostrich, goat, red deer, rabbit, cat, dog, swan, horse, fox, lion, Sus scrofa and a crane, alongside a tree. The composition arranges these animal figures within a naturalistic setting, reflecting the animal‑art genre typical of the period.

The surface is painted on canvas, though specific handling or condition details are not recorded in the available documentation.

History & Provenance

The painting Große Landschaft mit Tiere is dated to 1630. It is attributed to the workshop of Roelant Savery. The work entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it is currently located.

Specific details regarding the original commission, the precise chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition, or the internal creation process are not provided in the available records. The artwork measures 187 cm in height and 243 cm in width, depicting a variety of animals including an ostrich, deer, and lion within a landscape setting. Its classification remains that of an animal art painting from the early 17th century.

The painting Große Landschaft mit Tieren is part of the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it is housed and displayed according to the museum's cataloguing practices. The work was created in 1630 and is attributed to the workshop of Roelant Savery; however, the specific inventory or accession number assigned to the piece is not listed in the available documentation. Exhibition records for the painting are also absent from the sources consulted, indicating that it has not been featured in publicly documented exhibitions within the provided references.

Legacy

Große Landschaft mit Tieren, attributed to the workshop of Roelant Savery, has cemented its reputation as a significant example of seventeenth-century animal painting within the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s collection. While not a singular masterpiece by Savery himself, the work’s intricate depiction of diverse fauna and landscape has influenced later interpretations of animal art, particularly in demonstrating the period’s fascination with naturalistic detail and allegorical representation. Its inclusion in a major institutional collection has ensured ongoing scholarly and public engagement, reinforcing its legacy as a document of Baroque-era artistic practices and the workshop tradition.

The painting’s broad subject matter, encompassing domestic and exotic animals, has also contributed to its enduring relevance in studies of early modern zoological illustration.

Overview

"Große Landschaft mit Tieren" is a painting that presents a vibrant natural environment populated by a diverse array of wildlife. The composition features various creatures, from predators to prey, situated within an expansive landscape characterized by trees and a dynamic sky. This work captures a moment of unusual coexistence among different species, inviting viewers to observe the detailed animal forms and their surroundings.

Orpheus unter den Tieren
Orpheus unter den Tieren, Roelant Savery

Artist & collection

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Große Landschaft mit Tieren?

Große Landschaft mit Tieren is held by Kunsthistorisches Museum.

What movement is Große Landschaft mit Tieren?

Große Landschaft mit Tieren is associated with Flemish Baroque painting.