18th-century French School – Hare Hunt – Oil On Canvas

An elegant hunting scene depicting a hare hunt in a wooded landscape. In the foreground, several greyhounds are racing after the hare, while hunters in various parts of the composition take part in the chase. One of them, positioned in the center left, is blowing a hunting horn, lending the scene a particularly lively and theatrical quality. The landscape plays a prominent role in the composition: tall trees, undergrowth, rocks, and distant mountains are arranged against a vast, luminous sky. The subtle palette of bluish-greens, earth tones, and ochres lends the entire scene an elegant and slightly ethereal atmosphere.The composition and depiction of the animals follow in the tradition of great 18th-century French hunting paintings, notably in the style of Jean-Baptiste Oudry and Alexandre-François Desportes. The work was re-stretched onto an older canvas. The current frame is a later addition. A decorative work of fine quality, it is particularly interesting for its narrative quality and the dynamic presence of the dogs and hunters.
Dimensions:
Artwork only: 91 cm x 57.5 cm
With frame: 100 cm x 66.5 cm