A86: A Hawking Party
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© The Holburne Museum of Art, Bath
| Museum number | A86 |
| Title | A Hawking Party |
| Additional title | Rest from the hunt |
| Object type | In category: Pictures » Painting |
| Date | Circa 1665 |
| People |
Attributed to Wouwerman, Philips (Dutch painter, 1619-1668) - Painter(s) School of Wouwerman, Philips (Dutch painter, 1619-1668) - Painter(s) |
| Place of origin | Europe » Northern Europe » Low countries » Netherlands » Netherlands |
| Condition |
Good |
| Dimensions |
36.2 cm height frame 30.5 cm width frame 7.0 cm depth frame 28.0 cm height sight 34.2 cm width sight |
| Materials & techniques |
In categories: Pictures: Medium » Paint » Oil paint Pictures: Support » Canvas |
| Description |
Landscape with wall running from a building on the left, concluding on the right with an overgrown arch supported on pillars. The left-hand gatepost is topped by a classical figure. In the foreground left to right: a white horse grazing, head lowered to left; an attendant in red cap carrying a saddle and a hound seated, facing forward; a gentleman in yellow jerkin on a brown horse, seen from behind; a seated man with a dog. A falconer can be seen approaching through the arch with hawk on his wrist. Distant mountains visible through arch.In a carved and gilded frame. |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Subject |
Animal Landscape Sporting |
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| Notes | Wouwerman produced cabinet pictures of battle scenes, hunting, smithies and stable, including finely observed horses. He trained many artists in his studio in Haarlem. This little scene once hung in Sir William Holburne's study with his favourite Dutch cabinet paintings. The subject and manner is typical of Wouwerman, and there is a signature, 'Ps. W' in the lower left hand corner. However, past experts have been cautious as to its authorship: Hofstede de Groot: 'might be genuine" 1936 catalogue: 'It is perhaps doubtful whether the signature is a forgery. The picture has been ascribed to Karel van Falens (1683-1733), who imitated Philips Wouverman. He was born at Antwerp; and from 1703 was settled in Paris, where he became a member of the academy and painter in ordinary to the King. Hunting scenes, especially the start or the return, were a favourite subject of his.' Christopher Wright, 1983: 'Quite typical of Wouwermans. Has been attributed to one of his followers, Carel van Falens. In a recent cleaning Wouwermans' monogram was found to be an integral part of the picture surface. Whatever the outcome of this particular question the Holburne picture is a perfect example of the type of Dutch landscape, white horse included, which delighted connoisseurs in the 18th century.' Although the subject has traditionally been identified as a group setting out to hunt with hawks, it has recently been pointed out that the group may in fact be resting after the hunt or during a pause: the horse, having had its saddle removed, is grazing, one man is sitting on the ground, and the group may have turned into a ruined old farmhouse to take shelter and rest for a while. Previous attributions: Catalogue (1867) Philip Wouvermans Chaffers (1887) Wouvermans Moeckler (1902) Wouvermans Buttery (1906) 'an old copy' Blaker (pre 1913) After Wouverman A.Register (1919) Philip Wouverman Mr. Martin: 'C. van Falsus' Catalogue (1927) Wouverman-School of Catalogue (1936) Wouverman-School of |
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| Literature |
The Holburne of Menstrie Museum Catalogue: Part I: Pictures, Bath, 1936, no. 67C C. Hofstede de Groot, A catalogue raisonne of the works of the most eminent Dutch painters of the seventeenth century, London, 8 vols., 1907-1927, no. 581a C. Wright, Old Master Paintings in Britain: An Index of Continental Old Master Paintings executed before c.1800 in Public Collections in the United Kingdom, London, 1976 Christopher Wright, Dutch Landscape Painting, Exhibition catalogue, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, 1983, p.268 |
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| Muse theme | The Art of Collecting |
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| Muse chapter |
The History of the Holburne Collection » Sir William Holburne and his Collection » Arranging the Collection: Sir William at Home
Oil paintings in the Holburne Museum |
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| Gallery Labels |
PHILIP WOUWERMANS 1619 - 1668 Landscape with a Hawking Party Oil on panel Wouwermans was a member of a family of Harlem painters and became one of the most accomplished of Dutch artists producing small cabinet pictures depicting scenes of battles, hunting, army camps, smithies and stables. He maintained a large studio and his work was highly regarded by eighteenth and nineteenth-century collectors. This painting hung in Sir William Holburne's study. A 86 (Unknown) Philips Wouwerman (1619-1668) Landscape with a Hawking party Oil on panel Collection of Sir William Holburne Wouwerman was born in Haarlem into a family of painters, and was reputed to have trained with Frans Hals. He became one of the most accomplished of Dutch artists producing small cabinet pictures depicting scenes of battles, hunting, army camps, smithies and stables, many of which included finely observed horses. During his short but extremely productive career in Haarlem he became wealthy and trained many young artists in his studio. His reputation remained high in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and examples of his work were acquired for many of the most significant collections. This painting hung in Sir William Holburne's study. A86 (Wright, Amina) 16-8-2005 |
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| Method of acquisition | Bequest | ||||||
| Provenance | Sir T. W. Holburne (1793-1874); by whom bequeathed to Mary Anne Barbara Holburne (1802-1882); by whom bequeathed to the Museum | ||||||
| Exhibition history |
Title of exhibition: Dutch Landscape Painting Title of exhibition: The Northern Eye: Dutch and Flemish Landscape paintings from the Dulwich Picture Gallery Title of exhibition: Town House Treasures: Sir William Holburne of Bath |
