Vier fazanten 1864 - 1936

Jan van Essen rendered 'Vier fazanten' in watercolor on paper. The composition disperses the four birds across the visual field, with considerable negative space around them. The pheasants are constructed with delicate washes of color, ranging from warm browns and russets to cool blues and grays, which define their forms and suggest depth. Van Essen captures the essence of the pheasants with minimal yet effective brushwork. The translucency of watercolor allows the white of the paper to shine through, creating an ethereal quality. Each bird is depicted in a different pose, offering a dynamic view that animates the composition. The artwork challenges fixed meanings by presenting the pheasants not as symbols of hunting or status, but as subjects of pure aesthetic contemplation. The form, above all else, gives the greatest freedom for interpretation and re-interpretation.