Dead Game 1687 - 1737

"Dead Game" (1687 - 1737) by Johann Georg de Hamilton (1672 - 1737) depicts a still life of a hare hanging from a hook alongside two dead birds on a wooden table. The artist's meticulous detail and realistic portrayal of the animals' bodies and textures are characteristic of Dutch still-life painting, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries. The stark, monochrome color scheme creates a sense of stillness and solemnity, reflecting the transient nature of life and the act of hunting. The artwork, housed at the Statens Museum for Kunst, is a testament to Hamilton's skill and the enduring fascination with the themes of mortality and the beauty of the natural world in art.