Chickens and Ducks

A dog bursts in from the left, barking, and the whole poultry yard reacts at once. The colourful cockerel stalks off with his head held high, the white duck shields her young, and a pigeon takes off in a hurry. Around 1680 Hondecoeter painted this canvas as one half of a pair with Geese and Ducks. The two are exactly the same size, 115 by 136 centimetres, and both came to the Mauritshuis from the collection of the House of Orange. He signed this one at the bottom centre, M D'Hondecoeter.