Offered by Étienne de Roissart
REQUEST INFORMATION
Oil on canvas from the 17th century, belonging to the tradition of Flemish Baroque still-life painting, attributed to the painter William Gouw Ferguson (1632–1689). Although of Scottish origin, Ferguson worked for many years in The Hague and Amsterdam, which explains the close stylistic affinity of his work with that of Jan Weenix (1640–1719).
A major painter of his period, Ferguson’s works are held in the collections of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, and the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh.
This particular work is a masterpiece of precision and vitality. The free and expressive brushwork is particularly evident in the rendering of the birds. The composition is distinguished by a powerful chiaroscuro, bringing out the volume, texture and luminosity of the plumage. The palette is dominated by browns, greys and blacks, punctuated by touches of orange-red and deep turquoise green.
Dimensions without frame: 102 × 73 cm
Dimensions with frame: 117 × 87 cm
