Artwork
Poultry
Poultry is an oil painting by the Realist artist François Bocion. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Created in 1855, this oil painting portrays a domestic scene centered on a rooster flanked by two hens within a modest yard.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1855, this oil painting portrays a domestic scene centered on a rooster flanked by two hens within a modest yard. The composition places the rooster at the focal point, while the surrounding elements—a stone wall, trees, and a lightly clouded sky—frame the birds and suggest an outdoor setting typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century rural life.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a moment of everyday farm activity, emphasizing the natural behavior and coloration of the birds. By presenting the rooster in a dominant stance and the hens in quieter poses, the artist highlights hierarchical relationships within the flock, offering a quiet observation of ordinary animal life without overt symbolism.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs a restrained palette of warm earth tones for the rooster’s feathers and stark black‑white contrasts for the hens. Careful modulation of light across the birds and background creates a sense of volume, while the crisp rendering of the stone wall and foliage reflects the realist commitment to accurate, unembellished representation.
History & Provenance
The piece is attributed to Swiss painter and educator François Bocion, noted for his realistic depictions of the Lake Geneva region. It entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of 19th‑century European art, illustrating the museum’s interest in realist genre scenes.
Artist & collection
Artist
François-Louis David Bocion (French pronunciation: ; 30 March 1828 – 12 December 1890) was a Swiss painter, designer and art professor, known primarily for his landscapes of the area around Lake Geneva.
