:host { --enviso-primary-color: #FF8A21; --enviso-secondary-color: #FF8A21; font-family: 'boijmans-font', Arial, Helvetica,sans-serif; } .enviso-basket-button-wrapper { position: relative; top: 5px; } .enviso-btn { font-size: 22px; } .enviso-basket-button-items-amount { font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; background: #F18700; color: white; border-radius: 50%; width: 24px; height: 24px; min-width: 0; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; text-align: center; font-weight: bold; padding: 0; top: -13px; right: -12px; } Previous Next Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest Tiktok Linkedin Back to top
Dead Swan

Ask anything

  • WILHELM JOLIET asked

    Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
    haben Sie Fliesentableaus des 18. Jahrhunderts in Ihrem Besitz?

  • Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

    Dear Wilhelm, the museum keeps quite a large number of tile scenes from the 15th century onward. You can find them in the online collection when you search for tile scene (English) or tegeltableau (Dutch). There might be more, but to find them I need to search our collection database and unfortunately I do not have access today. If you want, I can look later this week. Kind regards, Els

  • Francien van Gils Geerts asked

    Ik heb een tinne lepel van zoals mij ge,egt is van Willem and Marij
    Dezelfde zou bij u in het museum zijn
    Heeft u een foto voor mij of kan ik een foto sturen .
    Mvg Francien van Gils

  • Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

    Beste Francien, ik heb even in het collectieregistratiesysteem gezocht maar de naam Willem van Marij komt hier niet in voor. Weet je zeker dat je de naam goed hebt gespeld? Ik adviseer je om op de collectie online het trefwoord 'lepel' in te voeren en de afbeeldingen te bekijken. Misschien kom je een lepel tegen die lijkt op jouw exemplaar. Je kunt ook jouw foto met vraag sturen naar info@boijmans.nl. Succes! Els

  • Elisabeth Krebs asked

    Please, can you tell me whether you have any work by the painter Benedetto Luti (1666-1724) in your collection, especially I'm looking for a penitent Maria Magdalena. Thank you very much, kind regards, Elisabeth Krebs

  • Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

    Hi Elisabeth, we have an artwork by Benedetto Luti in our collection with the name 'Penitent Magdalena in a landscape', is this the one you mean to find? If you click on this link it will show you the objectpage of this artwork: https://www.boijmans.nl/en/collection/artworks/2218/penitent-magdalena-in-a-landscape. Have a nice day! Sarie.

  • Rodney Franko asked

    Did Willem van de Velde II use umber and raw umber or did he mix red iron oxide with black to get umber-like colors? Thank you.

  • Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

    Hello Rodney, unfortunately I cannot help you because we don't have that information, until the painting needs to be examined for restoration. Greetings, Sarie.

  • Sue Ucel asked

    Please can you tell me whether you have any work by the artist Allen Barker in your collection. Thank you
    Sue Ucel

  • Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

    Dear Sue,
    The Boijmans Van Beuningen collection owns one work by Alan Barker. It is an untitled drawing made in 1975.
    Kind regards,
    Frederieke

  • Rosemary Nassoori asked

    What do the animals and birds symbolise? What other symbolism is there.? I am a guide in a stately house and we have a Jan Weenix picture. I am often asked the above questions. Many thanks.

  • Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

    Dear Rosemary,
    In this particular picture, the symbolism refers to the idea of ‘vanitas’ or vanity. The splendid feathers of both birds have little use to them now, as life is ephemeral and short, and their feathers will not serve them any purpose in the afterlife. Likewise, the richly decorated vase and the grand mansion in the background fulfil the same, short-lived purpose to man. The picture thus depicts the enormous, yet futile value mankind attaches to vanity and beauty.
    Best,
    Frederieke

Loading...

Thank you. Your question has been submitted.

Unfortunately something has gone wrong while sending your question. Please try again.

Request high-res image

More information

This still life is an exceptionally rich and decorative. The main theme is the dead swan which is hung by one leg and has one wing stretched out. Classic themes are depicted on the decorated garden vase on the right. The owner could claim social status with this painted catch, for it was a privilege to be allowed to hunt these large birds. Around 1700 the Dutch elite yielded to the taste of foreign courts, which had discovered the potential of Dutch art. When the 75-year-old Weenix painted this huge still life he had just delivered a series of similar game pieces to the Elector Palatine in Düsseldorf. The technique is typically Dutch but the size conjures up visions of foreign castles, and the subject speaks of power.

Read more Read less

Collection book

Collection book Order

Specifications

Title Dead Swan
Material and technique Oil on canvas
Object type
Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Location This object is in storage
Dimensions Width 154 cm
Height 173 cm
Artists Painter: Jan Weenix
Accession number 1962 (OK)
Credits Purchased 1865
Department Old Masters
Acquisition date 1865
Creation date in 1716
Internal exhibitions The Collection Enriched (2011)
Research Show research Alma
Material
Object
Geographical origin Northern Netherlands > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe

All about the artist

Jan Weenix

Amsterdam 1641/1642 - Amsterdam 1719

Bekijk het volledige profiel