Artwork
Jagdstillleben
Jagdstillleben is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton. It dates from 1707 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton, a painter born in the Southern Netherlands who later worked in Austria, completed the canvas titled *Jagdstillleben* in 1707. The work is classified as a still life within the Flemish Baroque tradition and is currently part of the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a figure suspended upside down, arms outstretched, illuminated from behind, hovering above a tranquil rabbit that gazes upward. Dark, tangled vines, birds and scattered foliage form a chaotic backdrop, contrasting the calm demeanor of the animal and suggesting a tension between movement and stillness.
Technique & Style
Hamilton employs dramatic chiaroscuro, allowing the inverted figure to glow against deep shadows, a hallmark of Baroque lighting effects. The rendering of the rabbit’s fur and the intricate foliage demonstrates meticulous brushwork, while the overall arrangement balances realism with theatrical staging typical of Flemish still-life painting.
History & Provenance
Since its creation in the early eighteenth century, *Jagdstillleben* has remained in public collections, eventually entering the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. The museum’s acquisition reflects the institution’s focus on Baroque works from the Low Countries, preserving Hamilton’s contribution to the period’s visual culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton (c. 1664 – 1750), was an 18th-century painter from the Southern Netherlands active in Austria.
