Offered by Galerie William Diximus
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The day has dawned, the sun colors the sky, and the old oak trees let through a diaphanous light. A large-leaved thistle enhances the dark part of the painting with its subtly illuminated color, where the viewer can admire numerous details: butterflies, a small daisy, and the details of the thistle leaves.
A dog in the foreground, guardian of this pastoral tranquility, watches us from the corner of his eye.
Jan Van der Meer was well known for his drawings and paintings of animals (source: Bénézit).
He was born in Haarlem, Netherlands, in 1656 and studied under his father, Jan van der Meer, nicknamed “VerMeer of Haarlem.” After a stay in Italy, he settled in his hometown and where he opened a studio and trained many students in animal painting. His animal work has been compared to that of another Haarlem native, Nicholas Berchem (1620-1683).
Our painting can be compared to two drawings: - Preparatory drawing of a dog from the collection: Drieffield Manor (Gloucestershire), UK. - A drawing of sheep and lambs (former collection of Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale – L2779) Musée Condé, Chantilly.
Jan Van der Meer's works are kept in the following museums: Rijskmuseum in Amsterdam, Kunstmuseum in Dresden, Hamburg, Saint Petersburg, In France: Louvre Museum (drawings), Chantilly, Rouen, Metz, etc.
dimension with frame 162cm x125cm
dimension without frame: 143.2cm x 109cm
