Still Life with Game Birds
1642
Cornelis Mahu serves up a rather grim feast in this 1642 Baroque masterpiece, lining up a row of freshly hunted birds like fallen soldiers across a wooden table. Notice how the dramatic light catches the soft feathers of the partridges and the delicate glassware, contrasting the beauty of nature with the reality of the dinner table. It’s a classic example of 17th-century Flemish still life, where artists showed off their incredible skill by painting textures—from fluffy plumage to shiny pewter—while subtly reminding viewers that life is fleeting (and delicious).
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