Nature morte art, such as this signed French pastel on canvas, was popularized in northern Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. This beautiful oval still life, which dates to the 1800s, depicts a hunting trophy of felled birds presented on a white linen draped over a wooden table. Notice how the accomplished artist was able to capture the grain of the wood, as seen to the right of the fabric.

Seven birds of various sizes and colors, ranging from black to multicolored, comprise the display of bounty. The most prominent bird is the large pheasant in the center, whose iridescent blue-green head, red eye, and speckled orange and brown plumage are astonishing. His tail sweeps up and to the right, drawing the viewer’s eyes to a wall constructed from cream and beige stones. A sprawling vine with green grapes clings to the masonry, in front of a row of wispy trees under a blue sky filled with large, white clouds. Executed in pastel, the canvas is surrounded by a pane of glass encircled by a reddish-brown mahogany frame with a thin matte of gold. Signed at the bottom, our hunt trophy still life is a celebration of nature and sport that was often displayed in a dining room, library, or hunting lodge in 19th-century France.

CONDITION: Good antique condition. Minor nicks and rubs to frame, and evidence of small restorations. Very light age separations to frame, which is rigged for hanging. Canvas is in excellent condition and signed by the artist.