Dead Wildfowl and a Huntsman's Net. Trompe l'oeil 1670

Jacob Biltius made this Trompe l'oeil painting of dead wildfowl in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-17th century. The illusionistic still life evokes a hunt, and perhaps even the thrill of the kill. But it also speaks volumes about the shifting social landscape of the Dutch Golden Age, especially the growing divide between urban and rural life. Hunting, long associated with aristocratic privilege, now became a symbol of wealth and leisure for the rising merchant class. Biltius catered to this new market, showcasing not just the spoils of the hunt but the tools and trappings of the hunt itself. Note the illusionistic wooden frame, painted to mimic reality. It suggests that the painting is a window onto another world. But it also reminds us of the artifice inherent in representation. Understanding Biltius's work requires us to look at a range of sources, including hunting manuals, emblem books, and even tax records to understand better who purchased his art.