Still Life with Poultry Willem van Aelst 1658

Still Life with Poultry
Willem van Aelst 1658
From the collection of
Rijksmuseum
Here we see a rooster, a chicken, a snipe and a woodpecker hanging by their legs, not a particularly tasteful scene. Here the painter was interested in the deceptively genuine portrayal of the dead birds and their plumage. In the 17th century there was a market for paintings of this kind. In fact, according to the 17th-century artists' biographer Houbraken, Van Aelst's hunt still lifes fetched a good price and were in demand among kings and princes.

Purchased in 1895, with the support of the Vereniging Rembrandt.
Details
Title: Still Life with Poultry
Creator: Willem van Aelst
Date Created: 1658
Style: Northern Netherlands School
Provenance: Purchased in London, 1895, with aid from the Vereniging Rembrandt
Physical Dimensions: w785 x h950 mm
Original Title: Stilleven met gevogelte
Type: Painting
External Link: See more on the Rijksmuseum website http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.5752
Medium: oil on canvas

Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum is the museum of the Netherlands. Its world-famous masterworks from the Dutch Golden Age include the Milkmaid by Vermeer and Rembrandt's Night Watch. The Rijksmuseum itself is also a masterpiece. The collection is presented in a stunning building with amazing interior design. In 80 galleries 8,000 objects tell the story of 800 years of Dutch art and history, from the Middle Ages to Mondrian. Every year, over 2.5 million visitors travel through the ages and experience a feeling of beauty and sense of time.

Willem van Aelst
May 16, 1627 - 1683

Willem van Aelst was a Dutch Golden Age artist who specialized in still-life painting with flowers or game.
http://hisour.com/art-medium/paintings/still-life-with-poultry-willem-van-aelst-1658/