In the fourth programme marking the 200th anniversary of the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum, David Swatling examines the masters’ menagerie. In the 17th century, Dutch painters depicted animals in all styles: in allegorical and historical paintings, in landscapes and still lifes, in portraits and domestic genre scenes. The master of animal painters was Paulus Potter.
Farmyard animals, dead game and fish were favourite subjects because of their symbolic meaning. David’s guests include the director of the Amsterdam Zoo.
Producer: David Swatling
Broadcast: August 1998