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Description: | 135.0 x 180.0 s.d. " J.Leemans/ No.1684" CRE LEEMANS, Johannes; (Dutch; 1633-?1688) The Hague painters Anthonie and Johannes Leemans, specialised in trompe l'oeil painting. Their preferred subject was equipment used in the hunt, particularly, but not exclusively, that for trapping birds. By judicious use of lighting and perspective, and skilful rendering of widely varying textures each life-sized item becomes deceptively 3-dimensional in appearance. Both paintings employ a palette of browns and blacks on a neutral background. They are well balanced in layout, symmetry being a Leemans characteristic, as is lack of anecdote or movement. Both are strongly lit from the left; the shadows indicate that the viewer is looking from below - these paintings were intended as 'over-doors.' Aspirational bourgeoisie frequently decorated their newly built houses with 'game pieces'. Hunting being the prerogative of the wealthy, the burgher displaying a game piece in his home associated himself with the upper echelons of society. The flintlock fowling piece dates from c.1620. The cage contains a small bird used as a decoy. Beneath hangs a game bag containing crossbow bolts. Also displayed are various bird-calls and whistle, two sheathed hunting knives, a powder horn, a leather bag for shot, and a portable netcage for live birds.
Each painting depicts decoy cages, hunters' birdcalls on leather straps, stakes for supporting 'mist' nets, and horns. While the smaller painting by Anthonie speaks only of birds, this larger work by Johannes, portraying gun, deer-slaying knives and goose call, refers to much larger game - the ladies. Both works are charged with erotic symbolism, an artifice appreciated by the contemporary viewer.
Few works are recorded for either painter: Glasgow is fortunate in having two. | License: | http://www.hmag.gla.ac.uk/spirit/rights/ | Publisher: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Rights holder: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Subjects: | STILL LIFE : BIRD : SPORT : TROMPE L'OEIL : GUN : HUNTING : NIRP2005 : NIRP2005 : | Source: | Hunterian Museum | Creator: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Identifier: | http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk/cgi-bin/... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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