Who painted Stilleben med fugle?

Stilleben med fugle was painted by Unknown in 1750.

Where can I see Stilleben med fugle?

Stilleben med fugle is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

Artwork

Stilleben med fugle

Stilleben med fugle is an unspecified work on paper by Unknown. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Stilleben med fugle is a watercolor dating from around 1750, attributed to the artist catalogued as 31534_person. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. It presents a still‑life arrangement of avian specimens rendered in muted browns and occasional blue tones, set against a plain white background with minimal shading.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a vertical stack of dead birds, their bodies rendered with anatomical precision. Below the central column, additional birds lie on a flat surface together with insects, while a spider web with a spider and trapped flies occupies the upper left corner. The juxtaposition of mortality and the natural world suggests a contemplation of life’s transience.

Technique & Style

Executed in watercolor, the artist employs layered glazing to achieve subtle gradations of brown and blue on the feathers. The use of a stark white ground enhances the three‑dimensional illusion of the birds, while delicate washes suggest the translucency of the spider’s web. The overall style reflects the meticulous observation characteristic of mid‑18th‑century naturalist illustration.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1750, the piece entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on display. The artist’s identity is recorded only by an internal catalog number, indicating limited archival information about the work’s original commission or early ownership.

Context

During the mid‑1700s, European artists increasingly documented flora and fauna for scientific and educational purposes. This watercolor aligns with that tradition, serving both as a visual record of bird species and as a study in texture and form, typical of the period’s interest in natural history and taxidermy displays.