Dead Game 1679 - 1750

Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton created this still life of dead animals in the late 17th or early 18th century. The tradition of game still life painting dates back to the Renaissance and was closely tied to aristocratic hunting culture. These paintings weren't just about food. They were about displaying wealth, power, and dominance over nature. The dead animals, posed and presented like trophies, symbolized the hunter's skill and status within the rigid hierarchy of European society. Hamilton, in his depiction of lifeless animals, also participates in a broader history of representing animal life through painting. This genre has always been bound up with questions of social class and access to resources, reflecting the culture and institutions of the period. Further research into the artist’s patrons could reveal insights into the dynamics of class and artistic production at the time.