Pheasants 1730 - 1760

Aert Schouman created this painting of pheasants using oil on canvas sometime in the 18th century. Oil paint, of course, is a traditional fine art medium, yet the ways that it is handled can have implications far beyond simply technique. Here, the rather thin application of the paint, and the smooth blending of tones, gives a glossy finish. This isn't the kind of surface you'd get in a rough, impressionistic painting, where the artist is interested in immediacy. Instead, the careful finish here speaks to a culture of refinement. The painting gives us a glimpse into the natural world, but in a controlled way, with the birds carefully posed for our appreciation. It represents a very specific social milieu: one that has the wealth to support hunting as a leisure activity and the consumption of such imagery. Appreciating the painting's materiality and the social context in which it was made allows us to expand our understanding of both art and craft.