Artwork

Hunting Trophies

Hunting Trophies, by Dirk Valkenburg, oil, 1709
Hunting Trophies, by Dirk Valkenburg, oil, 1709

Hunting Trophies is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Dirk Valkenburg. It dates from 1709 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Hunting Trophies is a 1709 oil painting by Dirk Valkenburg, a Dutch Golden Age artist. The work belongs to the tradition of Dutch Golden Age painting and is part of the State Hermitage Museum's collection.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a still life of hunting spoils, featuring two dead hares in different poses and a propped gun against a tree trunk. The composition invites quiet reflection on the hunt and its aftermath.

Technique & Style

Valkenburg employed a muted color palette dominated by browns and grays. Chiaroscuro, with a left-originating light source, creates depth and volume, casting shadows on the right side of the subjects.

History & Provenance

Created in 1709 by Dirk Valkenburg, trained under Michiel van Musscher, Herman van Vollenhove, and Jan Weenix. The artwork is now held in the State Hermitage Museum's collection.

Context

As a Dutch Golden Age painter, Valkenburg's work, including Hunting Trophies, contributes to the period's themes of still life and hunting scenes, reflecting the era's artistic preoccupations.

Legacy

While specific legacy details of Hunting Trophies are not highlighted, it represents Valkenburg's contribution to the Dutch Golden Age's still life and hunting-themed paintings, preserved through its inclusion in a major museum collection.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Dirk Valkenburg

Artist

Dirk Valkenburg

Dirk Valkenburg (1675, in Amsterdam – 1721, in Amsterdam) was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age.

Hermitage Museum

Museum

Hermitage Museum

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Hermitage Museum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.