Johann Heinrich Roos - Stillleben mit toten Vögeln [1676] -

Johann Heinrich Roos -

Stillleben mit toten Vögeln [1676] -

Städel-Museum (Nr-63)

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Dead poultry 1676

Johann Heinrich Roos; Otterberg or Reipoltskirchen 1631 - 1685 Frankfurt A. M.

 

Roos, who was highly esteemed by Goethe, was the most important animal painter of the German Baroque period, famous for his bucolic scenes. He was therefore more interested in living animals, and the still life with shot birds shown here remains the exception in his oeuvre. A large white capon and a pigeon are hung in a niche in the wall, to which two steps lead, the latter by the head, the former by the left leg. The head of the chicken bird, with blood oozing from its beak, rests on a snipe, against which the bellows of a jay are leaning from the left. On the right, a hoopoe lies on its back. A bullfinch, kingfisher and great spotted woodpecker are grouped together on the front step. Strings have been laid out so that the songbirds can also be hung up.

 

By staging the birds in this way, Roos takes up the tradition of the hunting still life (cat. nos. 60-62, 64/65); however, the breeds depicted in their combination do not form a coherent hunting route or a meaningful meal. Although capon and pigeon are popular dishes, and songbirds were also eaten until the 19th century - albeit preferably blackbirds, thrushes and larks - one specimen of the latter is hardly worth preparing. The awakening zoological interest in the diversity of species clearly prevails here, coupled with the painter's ability to describe the different tactile and colourful qualities of their plumage. Roos achieves this masterfully; even in the pure white capon, the plumage changes in creamy nuances, and downy feathers are distinguished from robust and elastic cover feathers with a broad brushstroke.

 

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