KESSEL, Jan van, I
(b. 1626, Antwerpen, d. 1679, Antwerpen)

The Mockery of the Owl

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Oil on canvas, 170 x 234 cm
Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp

The fully-fledged animal painting emerged in the late 16th century with the rise of biological research and collections of rare creatures. Jan van Kessel in The Mockery of the Owl demonstrates a thorough knowledge of exotic animals. The artist uses a narrative subject as a vehicle for painting his animals.