These animals gathered by noah's family to take on the ark in the distance reflect both the amazing variety of nature and man's dominion over nature. The majority were considered exotic by 17th-century europeans: for example, parrots, the rare purple gallinule, and turkeys from the new world, african ostriches and porcupines with their incredibly long quills raised in defense, as well as lions and leopards. The painting could be enjoyed like a visit to the menagerie kept by the archdukes albert and isabella at the court in brussels, surely the source for these animals. The handsome dapple-gray horse at the center is a spanish breed imported by archduke albert. This subject was painted earlier by both jan bruegel the elder and jan brueghel the younger. Here, the groupings of animals are distinct, encouraging viewers to study them separately. This is characteristic of animal paintings by jan van kessel, nephew of jan brueghel the younger. Object Type: painting. Genre: religious art. Date: circa 1660 (Baroque). Place of creation: Antwerp, Belgium. Dimensions: height: 65.4 cm (25.7 in); width: 94.5 cm (37.2 in). Medium: oil on panel. Collection: Walters Art Museum. Jan van Kessel II - Noah's Family Assembling Animals before the Ark - Walters 371998
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