Dode herten op een plint 1605 - 1678

This sketch, by Paul de Vos, depicts dead deer on a plinth. De Vos lived during the Baroque era when the status and the act of hunting acquired increasingly complex social connotations. In this context, his animal paintings often highlighted the power dynamics between humans and nature. Hunting, once a necessity, transformed into a symbol of aristocracy. For a commoner like de Vos to engage with this subject matter was in itself a commentary on class and access. The sketch captures a moment of stillness and death, starkly contrasting the dynamism often associated with hunting scenes. The animal lies prone, their expressions frozen, hinting at the vulnerability inherent in the act of subduing wildlife for sport and status. Consider how de Vos uses this medium to reflect the changing social landscape and his place within it. The emotional resonance of this sketch lies in its ability to evoke both pity and a sense of detachment.