Artwork
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Ferdinand van Kessel the Elder. It dates from 1695 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Ferdinand van Kessel the Elder, a Flemish painter active in the late 17th century, executed the work titled *Puerto Rico* in 1695. Rendered on a copper plate, the painting exemplifies the dramatic vigor of the Flemish Baroque. It is presently part of the permanent collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a large, brown quadruped standing upright, its claws and teeth exposed as it clutches a vividly colored snake that coils around its neck.
The central figure is a large, brown quadruped standing upright, its claws and teeth exposed as it clutches a vividly colored snake that coils around its neck. Adjacent to this scene are a spotted canine‑like animal and a brown, seal‑resembling creature, while a distant landscape shows a few pedestrians and a building beneath a cloudy, yellow‑tinged sky. The juxtaposition of realistic fauna with fantastical interaction creates a tension that invites allegorical interpretation.
Technique & Style
Executed on copper, the medium allows for fine, luminous detail characteristic of Flemish Baroque painting. Van Kessel employs a rich palette—earthy browns, bright reds and blues for the serpent, and muted greens for the background—to heighten contrast. The composition balances a crowded foreground with a receding landscape, using chiaroscuro to emphasize the dramatic encounter between the animals.
History & Provenance
Created in 1695, *Puerto Rico* entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings at an unspecified later date, where it has been catalogued as part of the museum’s Baroque collection. The work reflects van Kessel’s known interest in genre scenes that blend natural observation with imaginative elements, a hallmark of his oeuvre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ferdinand van Kessel the Elder
Ferdinand van Kessel (1648 – 1696), was a Flemish Baroque painter known for his landscapes, still lifes and genre pieces with monkeys.
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