Skip to main content
Items Similar to Flemish 17th, Orpheus and Animals, Large Decorative Wall Old Master Painting
Italian Old Master - Huge 18th Century Italian Old Master Oil Painting Figures & Animals Arcadian
Huge 18th Century Italian Old Master Oil Painting Figures & Animals Arcadian
Paul Brill - Huge 1600's Flemish Old Master Oil Painting Tobias & The Angel Baroque Landscape
Huge 1600's Flemish Old Master Oil Painting Tobias & The Angel Baroque Landscape
17th Century, Italian Painting by Pier Francesco Cittadini, Jacob and his Family
17th Century, Italian Painting by Pier Francesco Cittadini, Jacob and his Family
Jan Miel (antwerp, 1599 - Turin, 1663) - Landscape Hunt Miel Paint 17th Century Oil on canvas Flemish Old master
Landscape Hunt Miel Paint 17th Century Oil on canvas Flemish Old master
Dirck van Burghen - Large 17th Century Dutch Old Master Oil Painting Figures Animals Landscape
Large 17th Century Dutch Old Master Oil Painting Figures Animals Landscape
Unknown - Diana Boullogne Mythological Paint Oil on canvas old master 17/18th Century
Diana Boullogne Mythological Paint Oil on canvas old master 17/18th Century
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11

Unknown
Flemish 17th, Orpheus and Animals, Large Decorative Wall Old Master Painting

c. 1650

About the Item

Flemish school, 17th century Orpheus and the animals Oil on canvas, 146,5 x 217 cm Provenance: South German private collection. On an impressive, room-filling format, this painting depicts "Orpheus and the Animals." The harp-playing Orpheus sits centrally in front of a tree whose trunk bifurcates above his head. This central tree frames with its crown the scenery towards the horizon and at the same time offers through branches the possibility for many birds to find space. The left half of the picture is characterized by a seascape, at the edge of which the ruins of a castle can be seen deep in the background. This seascape, framed by mountains on the horizon, is the only area where sky can be seen. On this side, waterfowl such as storks, swans and ducks can be seen. In the right half, the viewer looks into a deep European forest. On this right side, more land animals can be found, such as deer, rabbits and lions, among others. Orpheus wears opulent red and gold trimmed clothing, under his blue breastplate we see a white shirt. His feet are adorned by elaborate sandals. His head is surrounded by a radiant laurel wreath ("poeta laureatus"). The young man is clearly identifiable as the singer and poet of Greek mythology, Orpheus, by his harp, the laurel wreath and the animals surrounding him. Orpheus was one of the Argonauts who, under Jason, was searching for the Golden Fleece. He sang so beautifully that he even conquered the angry sea and enemies by the magic of his lyre. During the journey, Orpheus is said to have drowned out even the sirens with his singing. It is said that he was the greatest of all poets and charmed people, animals, stones and trees with his singing. In total, 51 birds and 37 different species are depicted in the painting. The animals are mostly depicted in great detail and, except for a few, can be identified. Mainly European species of animals are shown. Exceptions are the ostrich-like nandu peeking out from behind the deer, as well as the large parrot on the upper left, and the two lions. Similar is the case for the large animal directly behind Orpheus on the right. The shape of the head suggests an arctic fox from the polar regions, even though the body is much too large. The arctic fox was first described in 1555 by Olaus Magnus. However, it could also be a depiction of a brown or black bear. An unusual detail is the animal, which is relatively isolated in the right background and looks to the left. It is not clearly identifiable, but it shows certain similarities with the Australian kangaroo. This was first described by Vespucci in 1500 and further by Francisco Pelsaert in 1629. If it is indeed a kangaroo, this would be one of the earliest surviving pictorial representations. In this painting, Orpheus is accompanied by a small monkey playing a viola da gamba. This is an iconographic peculiarity. In general, this painting has some peculiarities compared to other paintings with "Orpheus and the animals". The central positioning of Orpheus is quite common, but he usually holds a lyre and is dressed in an antique style, but not as opulently. The choice of animals is also remarkable: European animals in particular are seen, hardly any exotic features, such as camels or elephants. The two lions in the right foreground are a quotation from Peter Paul Rubens and his depiction of "Daniel in the Lion's Den", which was realized in an engraving. The present painting can be classified as belonging to the Flemish School of the 17th century on the basis of its painterly and compositional conception. From the circle of Jan Brueghel the Younger are numerous representations of this Orpheus - theme, which take it as an opportunity to show as many exotic animals. There are also echoes of Spanish painters such as Juan de Arellano or the Italian Sinibaldo Scorza. The composition of the tree landscape is also reminiscent of Jan Brueghel the Younger and Roelant Savery. One must assume that the artist of the present painting knew some representations of Orpheus and combined them here in a kind of capriccio. Moreover, one must assume that he had seen some of the animals either in the original (menageries), as stuffed animals or also in copper engravings. This access and this education alone speak for a creation of the painting in the environment of a court or a highly educated client. The painting shows 51 birds of 37 species Upper left corner (20 birds) Upper row; Snowfinch Montiffringilla nivalis Oriole Oriolus oriolus vr ? ? Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Second row Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Song Thrush Turdus musicus Oriole Oriolus orilolus m. Hoopoe Upupa epops Third row 4 White Storks Ciconia ciconia Fantasy parrot / Red winged amazon ? Amazona amazonica Lesser spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos minor Fourth row; Raven Corvus corax 2 Redwings Turdus iliacus Fantasy song bird, not identifiable Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Left below: Goosander Mergus merganser ? Black-tailed Godwit (winter plumage?) Limosa limosa ? Two ducks flying, unidentifiable swimming: Garganey Anas querquedula Great-crested grebe Podiceps cristatus Little Grebe Tachybaptes ruficollis 2 Swans Cygnus olor juvenile? Unidenifiable duck Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Goldeneye Bucephala clangula f. Common Scoter Melanitta nigra m. Unidentifiable duck Grey heron Ardea cinerea Purple heron Ardea purpurea ? White Stork Ciconia ciconia Upper right From left to right Large thrush (cf. drawing in Adriaan Collaert, Gessner / Aldrovandi) Eagle Owl Bubo bubo Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora 2 Magpies Pica pica Oriole Oriolus oriolus Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Right in the mid: Nandu Rhea americana Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Capercaille Tetrao urogallus f. Mammals (9 species) Monkey species Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris Red Deer Cervus elaphus Wallaby Macropus spec. ** Brown / Black Bear Ursus arctos / americana ? Arctic Fox Vulpes lagopus *** (summer plumage or blue/black form, face correct, body too large) 2 Lions Panthera leo Amphibians Frog Rana esculenta ?/ Toad Bufo bufo ? Tortoise Emys orbicularis ? Thanks to Ruud Vlek ** first described by Vespucci 1500 en Pelsaert 1629. First depiction ? *** first described by Olaus Magnus 1555, Aldrovandi 1637, Jonston 1657. First depiction ?
  • Creation Year:
    c. 1650
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 57.68 in (146.5 cm)Width: 85.44 in (217 cm)
  • Medium:
    Canvas,Oil
  • Movement & Style:
    Baroque
  • Period:
    17th Century
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Greven, DE
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU155029791642