Artwork
Landscape with Birds

Landscape with Birds is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Roelant Savery. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1628, *Landscape with Birds* is an oil painting by Roelant Savery, a Flemish-born artist who worked in the Dutch Golden Age. The work depicts a tranquil natural scene populated by a variety of avian species, set against a sky of blue and white clouds, with trees, rocks, a pond and distant historic‑looking structures.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a lively assortment of birds, rendered in diverse colours and postures, some in flight, others perched among foliage or on the ground. The inclusion of detailed flora and fauna reflects the period’s fascination with cataloguing nature, suggesting both an appreciation of the countryside’s serenity and an observational study of wildlife.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, Savery employs a fine, meticulous brushwork that captures the texture of leaves, feather, and water. His palette balances muted earth tones with brighter accents for the birds, while the atmospheric perspective in the background buildings creates depth, characteristic of early 17th‑century Dutch landscape painting.
History & Provenance
The painting has been part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s collection, where it remains on display. Its acquisition history is not extensively documented, but it has been attributed to Savery based on stylistic analysis and the artist’s known oeuvre from the 1620s.
Context
During the Dutch Golden Age, artists increasingly turned to natural subjects, integrating scientific curiosity with artistic practice. Savery, known for his elaborate animal studies, contributed to this trend, and *Landscape with Birds* exemplifies the era’s blend of detailed observation and idealised pastoral scenery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Roelant Savery (or Roeland(t) Maertensz Saverij, or de Savery, or many variants; 1576 – buried 25 February 1639) was a Flanders-born Dutch Golden Age painter.

















