HUNTING STILL LIFE WITH A DEATH DUCK

1st half of the 18th century
A hunting motif that appeared frequently in the galleries of Czech nobility and ecclesiastical circles. When comparing works in collections such as that of the Strahov Monastery to the piece offered here, we find items O-802 and O-803, attributed to Johann Falch (1687–1727). Elsewhere in Czech collections, we find works likely by the same hand, but attributed to Isaac Godyn or Franz de Hamilton. In art history, it is not uncommon for a single artist’s work to be attributed to multiple names; it is a great satisfaction when the true author can finally be identified and their oeuvre cataloged. The artist of the present work has yet to be definitively named. It is clear, however, that they were a popular and frequently commissioned painter in the local milieu, likely working in close connection with the artists mentioned above (perhaps within one of the noble painting studios). Oil on canvas 69,5x52,5 cm (87x72 cm). Decorative frame. Condition B. Old retouching visible in the background.