Artwork
Still Life with a Dead Hare and Fruit
Still Life with a Dead Hare and Fruit is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Alexandre-François Desportes. It dates from 1711 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1711 by French artist Alexandre‑François Desportes, this oil painting presents a quiet tableau of a dead hare suspended from a branch, surrounded by fruit and a curious dog. The composition combines elements of still life and animal genre, reflecting the artist’s focus on natural subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif is a hare, its body hanging downward, evoking themes of the hunt and the transience of life. Nearby, a dog gazes upward, while a basket of grapes, apples and a melon rests on the ground, suggesting abundance and the juxtaposition of vitality and mortality.
Technique & Style
Desportes employs a balanced palette of warm earth tones for the animal figures and cooler, vivid hues for the fruit. Subtle chiaroscuro models the forms, giving the hare and dog a three‑dimensional presence against a distant landscape of trees and mountains.
History & Provenance
Trained in Paris under Nicasius Bernaerts, a follower of Frans Snyders, Desportes developed a reputation for animal and floral subjects. The work entered the collection of the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains on display.
Context
The painting aligns with early Rococo sensibilities, favoring decorative detail and a light, contemplative atmosphere. It reflects the period’s interest in naturalism and the decorative integration of flora, fauna, and still‑life elements within a single composition.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alexandre-François Desportes (24 February 1661 — 20 April 1743) was a French painter and decorative designer who specialised in animals.
