Two Hens and a Cock

Roos renders the birds with a tactile brushwork that emphasizes the roughness of feathers, especially on the rooster. A dark, indistinct background creates a chiaroscuro effect, allowing the illuminated birds to emerge sharply from the surrounding gloom, a common device in Baroque animal studies.

Painted in the early 1700s, the work entered the Statens Museum for Kunst’s holdings during the museum’s early acquisitions of European Baroque art. Its provenance prior to the museum’s purchase is not extensively documented, but the painting has remained in public collections since the 19th century.

Roos, a German‑born artist active in the Austrian court, produced numerous animal subjects for aristocratic patrons. Two Hens and a Cock reflects the period’s interest in naturalistic observation and the decorative potential of everyday creatures within a refined, academic framework.