Artwork
Still Life with Dead Hare and Partridges

Still Life with Dead Hare and Partridges is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Unknown. It dates from 1717 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Still Life with Dead Hare and Partridges is a painting depicting a hunting trophy display, combining a suspended dead hare, two partridges, a hunting horn, and other hunting attributes on a stone plinth, set against a landscape background.
Subject & Meaning
The composition celebrates a successful hunt, originally intended for display in a hunter's dining room as a testament to the hunt's prosperity. The inclusion of carved putti (baby angels) with a floral and fruity garland on the plinth's base adds a layer of sophistication, elevating the presentation of the hunt's spoils.
Technique & Style
The artist showcased technical versatility by incorporating a sculptural element (the relief of putti with a flower and fruit garland) within the painted composition, demonstrating skill in both mediums.
History & Provenance
Originally commissioned for a hunter's dining room, specific details about the artist, date, and ownership history are not provided in the available information.
Context
Created in the context of 17th-century Dutch still life traditions, the work blends the mundane (hunting spoils) with the ornate (carved plinth detail), reflecting the era's attention to detail and layering of meanings in still life paintings.
Legacy
Now part of a public collection, the painting is accessible at the Rijksmuseum, contributing to the institution's showcase of Dutch artistic heritage, particularly in still life and hunting-themed works.
Artist & collection

















