A Hunter’s Bag near a Tree Stump with a Magpie, Known as ‘The Contemplative Magpie’

Melchior d’Hondecoeter (1636-1695), oil on canvas, c. 1678

Commissioned by King William III of Orange, d’Hondecoeter painted these two hunting still lifes for Soestdijk Palace. They hung facing one another in a corridor whereby the magpie in this painting ‘speaks’ to the peacock in the other one. Together they depict a fable in which the birds must choose a king. The magpie objects to the peacock. With its splendid plumage how can it effectively defend its fellow birds in times of peril?

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-170
  • Dimensionsheight 215 cm x width 134 cm
  • Physical characteristicsolieverf op doek