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Dutch (?), 'Sportsmen Resting', about 1650

About the work

We know very little about this lively, unusual painting of three men and three youths apparently celebrating the spoils of a shoot – the men all hold dead game birds. It’s hard to determine their relationship to each other. Perhaps we see a father (far left) and five sons, with their family estate in the background. Perhaps we see three friends with their three sons. All are dressed expensively and are probably aristocratic.

The owls in the foreground are intriguing. They were not used as hunting birds, and appear to be pets. The smaller one, probably a little owl, sits on a cage and is being fed a dead baby bird. Its much larger companion seems to be an eagle owl.

This picture was formerly attributed to the school of Nicolaes Maes. It has certain similarities with his portraiture but is not by Maes. It may not even be Dutch, but could be the work of a south German or Polish artist working in the Netherlands.

Key facts

Full title
Sportsmen Resting
Artist
Dutch (?)
Date made
about 1650
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
151.8 × 207 cm
Acquisition credit
Presented by R. Goff, 1856
Inventory number
NG2150
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Previous owners

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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You've viewed 6 of 9 works