Franse spaniël jaagt op een patrijs 1836

Francis Conscience created this print of a French Spaniel Hunting a Partridge sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Through the lens of social history, the image serves as a fascinating window into the culture of the period. The print depicts an idyllic hunting scene: a sporting dog intently focused on a partridge taking flight, while in the background a hunter stands ready, gun in hand. Hunting in 19th-century Europe was not merely a means of sustenance; it was a sport deeply intertwined with social class and status. The ownership of hunting dogs and the right to hunt on certain lands were often privileges reserved for the aristocracy and the gentry, thus reinforcing social hierarchies. This artwork is held at the Rijksmuseum. Researching its provenance and exhibition history can help to further understand the social and institutional context in which it was created and viewed.