Skinned Head of an Ox 1688 - 1691

oil-paint

baroque

oil-paint

mannerism

oil painting

animal portrait

matter-painting

Felice Boselli's "Skinned Head of an Ox" (1688-1691) is a striking example of a still life depicting a slaughtered animal. The artwork, currently housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst, showcases the artist's meticulous attention to detail. The ox head, rendered with a stark realism, lies on a dark surface, its skin peeled back revealing the intricate network of muscles and tendons beneath. This raw portrayal of animal flesh evokes both the beauty and the brutality inherent in the act of butchering. The painting, a testament to Boselli's skill in depicting both the textures and the unsettling reality of death, serves as a reminder of the connection between humans and their food sources.

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statensmuseumforkunst about 1 year ago

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Boselli records even the smallest detail with his rapid, nervous brushstrokes: the long, coarse eyelashes, the raspy texture of the tongue and the flap of skin left behind after the cut-off ear. The restricted colour scheme consists only of black, white and earth tones. There is no visible source of light; the darkness closes in on the head and keeps our gaze firmly fixed there. Other typical traits include the pastose highlights in the white fatty tissue and the exposed tooth; today it glistens in artificial spotlights, but back then it would have shone in daylight from studio windows. Such chiaroscuro brilliance was a much-praised painterly effect during the Baroque era. This painting is one of Boselli’s few oil sketches done after the life. It was not intended for sale, but as part of the artist’s own private collection of “patterns” that could be used over and over.