Artwork
Still Life with Dead Hare and Partridges
Still Life with Dead Hare and Partridges is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Dirk Valkenburg. It dates from 1717 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created in 1717, this oil painting presents a quiet, somber tableau of game.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1717, this oil painting presents a quiet, somber tableau of game. A hare hangs limp from a branch, its fur still appearing soft, while two partridges lie on a dark ledge, one with its head tucked beneath a wing. Hunting implements—a knife, a small pouch, and a birdcage—are scattered nearby, and a muted forest backdrop suggests a distant sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes the lifelessness of the captured animals with the stillness of the surrounding environment, inviting contemplation of the hunt’s aftermath. The careful arrangement of the hare, tied with a red string, and the subdued posture of the birds emphasize the transient nature of life and the collector’s role in preserving a moment of natural bounty.
Technique & Style
Valkenburg employs a restrained palette and subtle chiaroscuro to model the fur and feathers, allowing light to caress the textures while deep shadows give volume. The brushwork is precise, especially in rendering the delicate plumage and the tautness of the hare’s limbs, reflecting the Rococo’s taste for elegant detail without excessive ornamentation.
History & Provenance
Dutch painter Dirk Valkenburg, a pupil of Michiel van Musscher, Herman van Vollenhove and Jan Weenix, produced the work after a career that included service to the Prince of Liechtenstein in Vienna and a scientific expedition to Suriname for Jonas Witsen. The painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it remains on public display.
Context
The piece belongs to a broader tradition of Dutch still-life that documented hunting trophies, a genre popular among the affluent classes of the early eighteenth century. Valkenburg’s focus on game aligns with his known interest in birds and fauna, reflecting both the scientific curiosity and the decorative tastes of his patrons.
Artist & collection
Artist
Dirk Valkenburg (1675, in Amsterdam – 1721, in Amsterdam) was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age.
