Still Life 

Henri Regnault painted this "Still Life" with oils, likely on canvas, before his untimely death in 1871. The painting depicts a hunting trophy, displaying dead animals, including hares and birds, along with hunting paraphernalia such as a rifle, sword and game bag draped over a chair. The artist's handling of oil paint is striking. Its inherent qualities of texture and tone have been masterfully manipulated to capture the weight and volume of the animals' fur, feathers and flesh. The brushwork, vigorous and expressive, suggests a rapid execution, a desire to capture the immediacy of the scene before the subject decomposes. Regnault’s use of conventional materials elevates the transient scene to a timeless aesthetic experience. Ultimately, "Still Life" is an evocative exploration of mortality, tradition, and the transformative power of art. It challenges distinctions between ‘high art’ and depictions of everyday life by transforming the dead animals into something beautiful and contemplative.