Konijnen- en eendenjacht 1596 - 1653

Jacques Stella made this drawing titled "Konijnen- en eendenjacht" or "Rabbit and Duck Hunt" with pen in gray ink and gray wash. The scene depicts a group of figures engaged in a hunt. Hunting scenes like this in the Dutch Golden Age were often tied to social class. While hunting was traditionally an aristocratic pastime, the rising merchant class also participated, signaling their aspirations and social mobility. It reflected a changing social landscape where wealth and status were becoming more fluid. Stella, who worked for the French aristocracy, would have seen hunting as a symbol of power and privilege. To understand this work, you might look at period literature and social histories to explore the cultural meanings and class associations surrounding hunting in 17th-century Netherlands.