A Kitchen Scene with Poultry and Vegetables and a Maid Preparing a Meal (Primary Title)
Jan Olis, Dutch, ca. 1610 - 1676 (Artist)
The maid preparing a meal and the man bringing a
duck inside to slaughter go almost unnoticed behind
the abundance of birds, fruits, and vegetables piled
on the floor and table or hanging from beams in the
foreground. Olis renders the human figures in the
dim background simply in muted tones while depicting
the animals and foodstuffs and the containers and
other kitchen implements with an impressive, refined
realism. The ambitious format of the work and the rich
array of tones revealed by the natural light entering the
space showcase Olis’s talents at the height of his career.
Viewers can easily imagine the various tactile qualities
as they peruse feathered or plucked poultry, the smooth
and hard skin of the gourds, and the polished surfaces
of the ceramic dishes. Scenes and still lifes of this kind
emerged as a tradition in Dutch and Flemish painting
in the 16th century, and paintings featuring the
preparation of food in barns or rustic kitchens were
called schuurstukken (barn scenes).
signed and dated center left on the beam: JOlis fe./ 1652 (JO in compendium)
The Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Collection
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