Cleveland Museum of Art

Hare, Spoonbill, and Fish

Date

mid-1600s

Medium

oil on canvas

Culture

Italy, possibly Genoa, 17th century

Department

European Painting and Sculpture

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This striking painting of fish and game has yet to be attributed to a specific artist. Art historians have considered Dutch, Spanish, or Italian artists as possibilities, including the Dutch still-life and animal specialist Frans Snyders and the Spanish artist Alejandro de Loarte. But both have been rejected on stylistic grounds. An Italian artist is more plausible; the vaguely rendered, reddish background and the fluid handling of paint, especially in the portrayal of the fish, are characteristic of an Italian hand. The composition, which emphasizes the space between the creatures with strong highlights and deep shadows, also points to an Italian artist, possibly from a Northern Italian city such as Genoa.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.