Abraham Bisschop Dordrecht 1660 - 1731 Middelburg

Private collection, England, from whom purchased by Raphael Valls, Ltd.

Bisschop was an extremely versatile artist, who excelled in a broad range of painting styles, such as portraits, large scale wall decoration and bird pieces.  The present picture is an oustanding example of the latter category, in which the artist acknowledges the importance of Melchior d'Hondecoeter.  Indeed, in comparing this picture with lot 106 in this sale, it is clear that Bisschop adopted a number of characteristics of his predecessor's mature style.  This is especially striking in the choice of setting, and in the grouping of such species as the turkey and the hen.  Bisschop can also be said to have ascribed human emotions to the birds he depicts: the peacock strikes a proud pose in accordance with one of the most common associations with the species in Western culture, and the hen nervously watches over her chicks, while the turkey casts a disdainful and slightly threatening look at the clacking hatchlings.