Who painted A Stag Hunt?

A Stag Hunt was painted by Jean Lepautre in 1650.

Where can I see A Stag Hunt?

A Stag Hunt is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Stag Hunt?

A Stag Hunt is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

A Stag Hunt

Jean Lepautre , 1650

A Stag Hunt is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jean Lepautre. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Jean Lepautre’s print titled *A Stag Hunt* dates from 1650 and is executed as an engraving on metal. The composition presents a dynamic chase scene in which mounted hunters and their dogs pursue a stag through a wooded landscape, the animal positioned near the centre with its limbs poised for flight.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures the tension of a traditional hunting episode, emphasizing the interaction between human figures, their hounds, and the wild deer. The emphasis on movement and the stag’s alert posture suggest themes of dominance over nature and the ritualized sport of the aristocratic hunt in the mid‑seventeenth century.

Technique & Style

Lepautre incised the design into a copper plate, the lines then inked and pressed onto paper. The engraving displays fine, closely spaced strokes that create a subtle tonal variation, while broader cuts render the figures and foliage with greater clarity. The resulting surface shows a delicate balance between crisp outlines and softer, almost hazy areas where the ink gathers.

History & Provenance

Created in the early 1650s, the print belongs to Lepautre’s broader output of animal and genre scenes. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the work has appeared in several collections of French printmaking, reflecting its circulation among connoisseurs of the period’s graphic art.