The Dance of the Rats c. 1690
ferdinandvankessel
stadelmuseum
oil, canvas
baroque
animal
oil
charcoal drawing
possibly oil pastel
charcoal art
oil painting
canvas
coffee painting
underpainting
animal drawing portrait
14_17th-century
portrait drawing
watercolor
fine art portrait
Ferdinand van Kessel's "The Dance of the Rats" (c. 1690) is a small-scale oil painting that depicts a group of four rats dancing in a circle. The rats are depicted with great detail, including their fur, whiskers, and claws. The artist's meticulous attention to detail brings a sense of realism and humor to the scene, highlighting the absurdity of the rats' behavior. This painting is a prime example of the Dutch tradition of "animal painting" and is a fascinating reminder of the Dutch fascination with the natural world.
Comments
“When the cat’s away, the mice will play.” This proverb seems to be illustrated by the four comical rats dancing ring-a-ring-o’-roses. The brown shape in the background, which resembles the head of a fish or monster, helps to solve the puzzle. It is the fragment of a carved table base and reveals that the painting was cut out of a larger canvas. Scenes of animals parodying human behaviour are frequently encountered in Flemish painting. In that context, mice and rats are generally associated with vices such as drunkenness and gluttony.
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