The White Duck 1753

Jean-Baptiste Oudry completed this still life, in oils on canvas, sometime in the mid-18th century. Here, Oudry arranges inanimate objects to create a scene that speaks to the cultural and social context of his time. Oudry was working in France at a time when the court of Louis XV set the tone for all aspects of French society and he was well known for his animal paintings and hunting scenes, which are obviously relevant here. The painting's focus on luxury items such as fine porcelain and silverware, along with the dead duck as the 'catch of the day', reflects the lavish lifestyle of the aristocracy. Oudry has even included a note on the wall dated 1753, as if to assert his mastery over time and nature itself. To fully understand this artwork, one might research the dining habits of the French aristocracy and, of course, Oudry’s place within the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. By considering these factors, we recognize that the meaning of art depends so much on its social and institutional context.