Dirk Valckenburg, Dutch, 1675-1721
Title: Birds with Urn in a Landscape
Date: c.1700
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
132 x 99 cm
Signed: centre right: D. Valckenburg / pinxit
Credit Line: Bequeathed, Mr W.S. Gubleton, 1911
Object Number: NGI.625
DescriptionTwo domestic hens and a cock stand above a hill myna, a kingfisher, a drake wigeon, and a domestic drake. Perched on the urn is probably an exotic Alexandrine Parakeet.

Valkenburg was trained by Jan Weenix and borrows the format of that painter here with the inclusion of a château in the distance. The realistic presentation of the birds comes from Weenix's cousin, Melchior de Hondecoeter. Some rare murals by that artist, where the park plays an equal role to that of the poultry and wildfowl, can be seen at Belton, Northamptonshire. Valkenburg bridges the two areas of the canvas with a statue of Ceres, directing the viewer's eye to a park with figures and a classical house under a suffuse sky. The rich palette and air of a graceful parade belong to the eighteenth century, when Valkenburg created some of his most elaborate compositions.
ProvenanceBequeathed, W.S. Gubleton of Belgrove, county Cork, 1911
Label TextThis is a superb painting by the lesser-known artist Dirck Valkenburg, who was active in Amsterdam in the early eighteenth century. While he had a number of noble patrons in Holland and Germany, this picture was probably intended for a wealthy merchant aspiring to own the type of château represented in the background. The birds in the foreground have been identified as (from left to right) a hill myna, a kingfisher, a drake wigeon and a domestic drake; in the middleground Valkenburg painted domestic hens and a cock. The bird on the urn is probably an Alexandrine parakeet.

This website uses cookies

We use optional cookies to enhance your user experience and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services.

Details

About Cookies

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we need your permission. This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages. You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website. Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy. Please state your consent ID and date when you contact us regarding your consent.

Necessary Cookies

Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.

NameProviderPurposeExpiryType
JSESSIONIDeMuseumUser SessionSessionHTTP

Statistics Cookies

Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously.

NameProviderPurposeExpiryType
_gaGoogle Tag ManagerRegisters a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website.2 yearsJavaScript
_gidGoogle Tag ManagerRegisters a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website.1 dayJavaScript