Still-life with white cockerel and dead game
1673
oil
From the collection of National Galleries Scotland
Still Life chicken
1673
oil
From the collection of National Galleries Scotland
This painting shows a white cockerel and some dead game birds. The cockerel is lying on its back, with its wings splayed out to the sides. The game birds are hanging upside down from the cockerel's feet. The birds are painted in warm, earthy tones, with the cockerel's feathers a soft white and the game birds' feathers a rich brown. The background of the painting is dark and muted, which helps the birds stand out. The artist, William Gouw Ferguson, uses chiaroscuro to create a sense of depth and volume in the painting. If you're interested in learning more about this technique, you could look up chiaroscuro.
