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Student Artwork Guide

A stag hunt

Philips Wouwerman

Name Class Date
Philips Wouwerman, A stag hunt. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Philips Wouwerman originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/philips-wouwerman/
Artist’s dates
1619 – 1668
Movement
Dutch Golden Age Seventeenth-century Dutch painting of everyday rooms, seas and citizens, bought by merchants rather than kings.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Philips Wouwerman died in 1668; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1738.

Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

A stag hunt — Philips Wouwerman Part 1 · The artwork

In context

A stag hunt — Philips Wouwerman

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1610
  2. 1620
  3. 1630
  4. 1640
  5. 1650
  6. 1660

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 49 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of Philips Wouwerman (1619–1668) every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1648 Main working years: 1648–1658 Late works: from 1658

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/philips-wouwerman-a-stag-hunt-9GZKEL-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Gray #929689

    Catalogued palette

    • #929689
    • #2A2620
    • #605D4A
    • #D2D3BD

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Main colour name
    Gray
    Intensity
    Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Philips Wouwerman over the last twelve months — 4 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 81.8%
    2. 2 United States of America 9.1%
    3. 3 Singapore 6.1%
    4. 4 Hong Kong 3.0%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Philips Wouwerman

    1. 1 Winter Landscape with Wooden Bridge 10.5%
    2. 2 Setting out on the Hunt, 1660 7.9%
    3. 3 Two Horses 7.9%
    4. 4 A Man and a Woman on Horseback (detail), 1653 7.9%
    5. 5 Cavalier Holding a Dappled Grey Horse 7.9%
    6. 6 Battle on Horseback, 1645 5.3%
    7. 7 The Grey, 1646 5.3%
    8. 8 Coming out of an Inn 5.3%
    9. 9 Dune Landscape with a Signal Post, Philips Wouwerman, c. 1651 - c. 1653, 1653 2.6%
    10. 10 Stag Hunt in a River, 1650 2.6%
    11. 11 Departure of the hawking party 2.6%
    12. 12 Rider's Rest Place 2.6%
    13. 13 Dune Landscape, 1645 2.6%
    14. 14 A Dune Landscape with a River and Many Figures 2.6%
    15. 15 Skirmish of Horsemen between Orientals and Imperials, 1550 2.6%
    16. 16 Halt of a Hunting Party, 1665 2.6%
    17. 17 Landscape with Bathers, 1660 2.6%
    18. 18 A Man and a Woman on Horseback, 1653 2.6%
    19. 19 Travelers Awaiting a Ferry, 1649 2.6%
    20. — A stag hunt this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 86.6% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 58 works by this artist, of which 24 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    A stag hunt — Philips Wouwerman Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Philips Wouwerman

    Born in Haarlem, Netherlands

    Philips Wouwerman: A Life in the Dutch Golden Age

    Born: Haarlem, Netherlands (1619)

    Died: 1668

    Philips Wouwerman (baptized May 24, 1619 – died May 19, 1668) was a highly prolific and versatile Dutch painter renowned for his depictions of hunting scenes, landscapes, and battle scenes. He stands as a significant figure within the artistic landscape of the Dutch Golden Age.

    Early Life and Training

    Born in Haarlem, Netherlands, Philips Wouwerman was the son of Pouwels Joostsz Wouwerman, also a painter, though less known than his son. Details regarding his early artistic training are somewhat scarce. However, it is believed that he studied under Frans Hals (1581/85–1666), a prominent Haarlem portraitist. While Hals’s distinctive style did not heavily influence Wouwerman's mature work, the foundational training likely proved invaluable. Early in his career, Wouwerman was influenced by the bamboccianti tradition, particularly the works of Pieter van Laer (1592/99–after 1642), adopting their focus on everyday life and genre scenes.

    Artistic Development and Style

    Early Influences: Initially emulating bamboccianti painters, Wouwerman’s early works featured depictions of daily life.

    Emerging Style (Mid-1640s): A characteristic compositional element emerged – a diagonal slope of land often accompanied by a tree acting as a repoussoir (a device used to create depth). Figures, frequently accompanied by horses, populated these scenes.

    Mature Period (c. 1650-1660): Wouwerman developed his individual style, expanding his subject matter considerably. He painted genre scenes, landscapes with travelers, cavalry battles, military encampments, and festive gatherings of peasants.

    Mastery of the Horse: Wouwerman is particularly celebrated for his exceptional skill in depicting horses of various breeds in dynamic motion. Art historian Frederik J. Duparc has famously called him "undoubtedly the most accomplished and successful 17th-century Dutch painter of horses."

    Characteristic Features: His paintings are characterized by subdued colors, a cool atmosphere, and meticulous attention to detail, creating witty and anecdotal narratives within his scenes. He often combined imaginary southern landscapes with a distinctly Dutch ambiance.

    Major Achievements and Legacy

    Wouwerman’s works were highly sought after during his lifetime and continued to gain popularity in the 18th century. His paintings found their way into prominent collections across Europe, including those of princely houses in Dresden and St. Petersburg, demonstrating widespread admiration for his artistry.

    Prolific Output: Wouwerman was remarkably prolific; early catalogues listed around 800 works attributed to him, later exceeding 1200. A more recent catalogue raisonné (Schumacher, 2006) identifies approximately 570 authentic works, acknowledging the numerous followers and imitators who produced works in his style.

    Family of Artists: His brothers, Jan (1629–1666) and Pieter (1623–1682), were also painters, often initially attributed to Philips. While Pieter’s work clearly reflected Philips' influence, he developed a distinct style. Jan was recognized as a more autonomous landscape painter.

    Influence on Later Artists: Wouwerman’s style influenced numerous artists, including Jan van Huchtenburgh (1647–1733), the brothers Jan Frans and Joseph van Bredael (1688–1739), and Carel van Falens (1683–1733).

    Guild Membership & Civic Role: He was a member of the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke, holding several official positions within it. Beyond his artistic pursuits, Wouwerman also served as an estate agent in Haarlem, reflecting his involvement in civic life.

    Historical Significance

    Philips Wouwerman’s contribution to the Dutch Golden Age lies in his ability to capture a wide range of scenes – from bustling marketplaces and hunting expeditions to dramatic battlefields and tranquil landscapes – with remarkable detail and dynamism. His mastery of depicting horses, combined with his keen eye for anecdotal storytelling, solidified his place as one of the most celebrated and influential painters of his time. A retrospective exhibition in Kassel and The Hague (2009/2010) further highlighted his enduring legacy.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for A stag hunt

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/philips-wouwerman-a-stag-hunt-9GZKEL-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Wouwerman, Philips. A stag hunt. n.d., https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/philips-wouwerman-a-stag-hunt-9GZKEL-en/
    APA
    Wouwerman, Philips (n.d.). A stag hunt [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/philips-wouwerman-a-stag-hunt-9GZKEL-en/
    Chicago
    Philips Wouwerman. A stag hunt. n.d. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/philips-wouwerman-a-stag-hunt-9GZKEL-en/
    Harvard
    Wouwerman, Philips (n.d.) A stag hunt. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/philips-wouwerman-a-stag-hunt-9GZKEL-en/

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    A stag hunt — Philips Wouwerman Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    A stag hunt — Philips Wouwerman

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: hunting scene, dutch landscape, aristocratic life. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Winter Landscape with Wooden Bridge, earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Dutch Golden Age: Seventeenth-century Dutch painting of everyday rooms, seas and citizens, bought by merchants rather than kings. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    A stag hunt — Philips Wouwerman Part 4 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    Which artist is "A stag hunt" attributed to?

    The artist behind "A stag hunt" is Philips Wouwerman. The work is catalogued under Philips Wouwerman's name.

    What is the perceived brightness of "A stag hunt" by Philips Wouwerman?

    In terms of perceived brightness, "A stag hunt" by Philips Wouwerman is balanced.

    Which color stands out most in "A stag hunt"?

    The dominant color of "A stag hunt" by Philips Wouwerman is gray (#929689).