Artwork

Ansichten aus den vier Weltteilen mit Szenen von Tieren: Venedig

Ansichten aus den vier Weltteilen mit Szenen von Tieren: Venedig is an unspecified painting by Ferdinand van Kessel the Elder. It dates from 1682 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1682 by the Flemish Baroque painter Ferdinand van Kessel the Elder, this canvas combines cityscape and animal motifs. The work presents a view of Venice interwoven with assorted fauna, illustrating the artist’s penchant for integrating natural curiosities into his compositions. It is part of the permanent collection of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Subject & Meaning

The painting juxtaposes recognizable Venetian architecture with a variety of animal figures, a visual dialogue that mirrors the 17th‑century fascination with distant lands and exotic creatures. By placing wildlife within an urban European setting, van Kessel underscores the era’s curiosity about the wider world and the perceived harmony between culture and nature.

Technique & Style

Executed in the Baroque idiom, the work displays vigorous brushwork and a rich palette typical of Flemish painting of the period. Van Kessel’s handling of light accentuates the reflective waters of the lagoon, while the detailed rendering of the animals—often monkeys in his oeuvre—demonstrates his skill in still‑life observation.

History & Provenance

After its completion in the early 1680s, the canvas entered the holdings of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on display. The museum’s acquisition reflects the institution’s broader collection of Flemish Baroque art, preserving van Kessel’s contribution to the genre of landscape with animal elements.

Context

During the late seventeenth century, European artists frequently incorporated motifs from global exploration into their work, responding to expanding trade routes and scientific interest in natural history. Van Kessel’s inclusion of diverse fauna within a Venetian scene aligns with this trend, offering a visual catalogue of the world’s curiosities as imagined by a Flemish audience.