Court, Country, City: British Art 1660-1735
STILL LIFE AND ANIMAL paintings
The period from 1660 to 1735 witnessed a transformation in material culture. Global commerce and imperial exploration meant that there was more of everything, including ‘exotic’ goods from around the world. At the same time, knowledge and opinions circulated in print more freely than before. Science and philosophy changed too, leading to a new focus on observation and reasoning rather than belief and tradition.
Still life painting presents ordinary objects, but often contains an underlying message. The paintings shown here testify to the new material affluence of the period, but might they also hint at some of its deeper values?
A Peacock and Other Birds in a Landscape by Marmaduke Cradock
A Turkey and other Fowl in a Park by Jan Griffier
Still Life by Edward Collier