Aert Schouman Dordrecht 1710 - 1792 The Hague

As for the previous lot.

The most familiar watercolours of animals and birds by Schouman show one or two specimens, often exotic rather than native, on a relatively large scale, with little or no landscape background.  This animated watercolour is, however, a particularly fine example of another type of composition that the artist occasionally made, in which the landscape is accorded as much attention as the birds or animals that populate it, and there is consequently a much greater sense of atmosphere.  Another such composition, on the same scale and format as this, was one of the exceptional group of 25 watercolours by Schouman from the Unicorno Collection, sold, Amsterdam, Sotheby's, 19 May 2004, lot 204.  Like the previous lot, with which it shares its illustrious provenance, this watercolour is in near-perfect condition, allowing the quality and liveliness of its handling and composition to be clearly visible.