Peacocks
The Met
Artist: Melchior d' Hondecoeter(Dutch, Utrecht 1636–1695 Amsterdam)
Date: 1683
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 74 7/8 x 53 in. (190.2 x 134.6 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Samuel H. Kress, 1927
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
A peacock, crane, monkey, and squirrel with other birds, fruit, and a landscape
Detailed Description
A vertical oil painting depicts various animals and fruit in a landscape. The upper left features a dark, cloudy sky, while the upper right is filled with dense green trees. A black swallow flies in the upper left, and a large yellow sunflower blooms in the upper right, behind a peacock. A peacock with long, iridescent green and brown tail feathers is prominent on the right side, perched on a stone balustrade. Its head, with a blue neck, is turned left, and its beak is open. Below it, a brown peahen is partially visible, bending down to peck at the balustrade. To the left, a tall, slender white crane with a distinctive red head and upper neck stands, looking towards the right. A small, dark chicken is positioned near the crane's feet. In the foreground, a brown monkey with a white face and chest sits on the ground, looking left. Its long tail extends towards the left. To the monkey's left, a small, reddish-brown squirrel is depicted holding a dark nut. An arrangement of fruit is scattered on the ground around the monkey, including clusters of dark and light grapes, several round peaches, and a large, striped melon cut open to reveal its red interior. Green vines with leaves are draped over the stone balustrade and among the fruit. The ground is a muted brown, and the background features a green landscape with tall trees and hints of distant architecture under a partly cloudy sky.
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