Who painted Fish and Game?

Fish and Game was painted by Alexander Adriaenssen in 1647.

Where can I see Fish and Game?

Fish and Game is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Fish and Game?

Fish and Game is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Fish and Game

Alexander Adriaenssen , 1647

Fish and Game is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Alexander Adriaenssen. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1647, *Fish and Game* is an oil painting by Flemish Baroque artist Alexander Adriaenssen. The work presents a darkened tabletop laden with a variety of dead fish, fowl, a loaf of bread, a silver pitcher and a bunch of red berries. The composition focuses on the tactile qualities of the objects, set against an almost black background that heightens their visual impact.

Subject & Meaning

The painting assembles a banquet of marine and terrestrial fare, a common motif in 17th‑century still‑life that alludes to abundance, the transience of life, and the sensory pleasures of the table. By juxtaposing fresh‑looking fish with plucked birds and edible staples, the work invites contemplation of nature’s bounty and its inevitable consumption.

Technique & Style

Adriaenssen employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing light to strike selected surfaces while the surrounding space remains in deep shadow.

Adriaenssen employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing light to strike selected surfaces while the surrounding space remains in deep shadow. This selective illumination renders the scales, feathers and metallic sheen with convincing realism. The meticulous rendering of textures—glossy fish skin, soft plumage, and the rough crust of bread—demonstrates the artist’s skill in capturing materiality within a restrained palette.

History & Provenance

The painting is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection in St. Petersburg. It entered the museum through acquisitions made during the 19th‑century expansion of the Hermitage’s Dutch and Flemish holdings, reflecting the institution’s interest in representing the breadth of the Dutch Golden Age.

Context

Adriaenssen specialized in still‑life subjects, particularly fish and game, aligning his output with the Flemish tradition of market and banquet scenes. His work parallels that of contemporaries such as Pieter Boel and Jan Fyt, who also explored the visual and symbolic potential of foodstuffs within a Baroque aesthetic.

Artist & collection

Artist

Alexander Adriaenssen

Alexander Adriaenssen (1587–1661) was a Flemish Baroque painter, particularly known for his still-lifes of fish and game pieces. He also painted banquet pieces with food and flower still lifes.