Title

Fox Attacking a Hen

Typology

School

Century

Dimensions

Technique

Support

Observations

This Fox attacking a hen was painted by an anonymous Flemish artist from the 17^th century, part of the Colección Santamarca in Madrid (inv. 198).

Although the work has not yet been definitively attributed, the subject of this composition is common in the work of Frans Snyders, whose version is known at the Städtisches Suermondt-Museum in Aachen (No GK485), along with variants at the Ehemals Schlesisches Museum der Bildenden Künsten in Breslau. In these more well-known versions of Snyders, the fox turns its head back, overwhelmed by the presence of cats attempting to steal its prey. In contrast, in the painting we are studying, the animal faces forward, confronting an imaginary viewer who seems to challenge the bird it has caught.

While the model is typical of Snyders, the execution of this canvas falls well short of the master's quality. Nevertheless, it remains an excellent example of the kind of animal scenes that were common in Flemish painting of the 17^th century. The treatment of the bird’s feathers (probably a milan) also shows a style reminiscent of Jan Fyt (1611-1661), particularly in the way the details of the animal are rendered.

Although the painting was severely damaged, its restoration in 1983 allowed the recovery of certain areas that were invisible before cleaning, although it also revealed some older damages.

Bibliography

• W. Rincón García, e.a. (2017): Colección Santamarca : Esplendor barroco de Luca Giordano a Goya y la pintura romántica, Diputación Provincial de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, pp. 264-265, il. 100.
• H. Robels (1989): Frans Snyders, Stilleben- und Tiermaler 1579-1657, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich, p. 348, il. 253.
• (1984): Colección Santamarca: pinturas restauradas en 1983, Fundación Banco Exterior, Madrid, pp. 40-41, il. 15.

Locations

• Colección Santamarca, Madrid (Spain) (Inventory number: 198)