Melchior d'Hondecoeter

Essay:

Datable to circa 1660 this excellent example of a game still life by Hondecoeter reuses a number of motifs (although not directly) that can be found in other still lives by the artist. Hondecoeter's originality and inventiveness meant he did not slavishly reproduce each element but reused the same details in differing compositions (for example see the 'Still life of a Partridge in an alcove with hunting paraphernalia' previously in Dorotheum, Vienna, 16th October 2007, lot 93). Another excellent example of this is the reuse of the falcon hoods in a painting of about the same date of a 'Still Life with a Hare and a Pheasant' previously with Johnny van Haeften in 2006.