Study of Birds and Monkey

1660/1670

Circle of Jan van Kessel the Elder

Associated Names
Jan van Kessel the Elder

Related Artist, Flemish, 1626 - 1679

This is a painting of various colorful birds and a monkey framed by two tall trees. The birds are of different varieties and have striking plumage, including a bird of paradise with yellow and red feathers, a peacock with long, colorful tail feathers, and several smaller birds with vividly colored wings. At the center of the image, a brown hawk faces us. Two of the birds are depicted perched on branches, while two stand on the ground and the other three are in mid-air with their wings extended. In the lower right corner, a small gray monkey is shown sitting on the ground next to the tree. At the bottom of the image are a few short ferns and patches of grass, but most of the background is blank paper.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on copper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of John Dimick

  • Dimensions

    overall: 10.5 x 17.2 cm (4 1/8 x 6 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1983.19.1


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Private collection, Germany; (sale, Galerie Fischer, Lucerne, 21-25 and 27-29 November 1972, no. 2536, as a pair with NGA 1983.19.2); John Dimick, Chevy Chase, Maryland; gift 1983 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1995

  • Dutch Cabinet Galleries, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1995-1996, no cat.

1998

  • A Collector's Cabinet, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1998, no. 32.

Bibliography

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 214, repro.

2005

  • Wheelock, Arthur K., Jr. Flemish Paintings of the Seventeenth Century. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 2005: 129-133, color repro.

Wikidata ID

Q20177555

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