Where can I see A Forest Floor with a Thistle, a Snake, a Lizard and Butterflies?

A Forest Floor with a Thistle, a Snake, a Lizard and Butterflies is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

Artwork

A Forest Floor with a Thistle, a Snake, a Lizard and Butterflies

A Forest Floor with a Thistle, a Snake, a Lizard and Butterflies is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1650, this work titled *A Forest Floor with a Thistle, a Snake, a Lizard and Butterflies* is attributed to the artist catalogued as 892_person. The painting is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography and depicts a dimly lit woodland ground populated by flora and fauna.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a tangled thistle amidst a dark substrate, where a coiled snake and a small lizard share space with fluttering butterflies of red, orange and white. The juxtaposition of the snake’s stillness against the lively insects suggests a study of contrasting life forces within a secluded natural setting.

Technique & Style

The artist employs strong chiaroscuro, using deep shadows to model the forest floor while allowing the vivid hues of the butterflies to emerge sharply. Fine brushwork renders the texture of thistles and mushrooms, and the subtle gradations of light give the scene a three‑dimensional presence despite its limited palette.

History & Provenance

The painting entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings sometime after its creation in the mid‑17th century, though precise acquisition details remain undocumented. Its attribution to 892_person is based on stylistic analysis and archival references linking the work to that period’s natural‑history genre.