Artwork
Ansichten aus den vier Weltteilen mit Szenen von Tieren: London
Ansichten aus den vier Weltteilen mit Szenen von Tieren: London 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
Ansichten aus den vier Weltteilen mit Szenen von Tieren: London is a ca. 1682 painting by Flemish Baroque artist Ferdinand van Kessel the Elder, featuring a dynamic scene of various animals in a natural setting with a distant cityscape.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a chaotic, energetic scene with multiple animal species (including birds, roosters, turkeys, and horses) in apparent motion, suggesting a hunting scene where the animals are the targets.
Technique & Style
Characteristic of Flemish Baroque, the work combines detailed animal renderings with a broader landscape, juxtaposing a lively, animated foreground with a serene, distant background of water and a city.
History & Provenance
Part of a series illustrating views from four continents with animal scenes, the painting is now part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum's collection.
Context
Reflecting the Baroque interest in capturing movement and energy, the piece also touches on the theme of hunting, a common subject in 17th-century European art.
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.
