Rijksmuseum

Still Life with Peacocks

Date

c. 1639

Medium

canvas, oil paint (paint)

Institution

Rijksmuseum

In Rembrandt’s time, peacocks were eaten by the well-to-do: the meat was incorporated into meat pies, among other dishes. Immediately after being killed, the birds were hung to bleed out, as Rembrandt shows us in this storeroom. He was doubtless captivated by the plumage’s splendid marks, the riot of colours: blue, green and yellow ochre.

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