Market Day with Vendors Selling Chickens
Follower of Jan Victors (Amsterdam, 1620–1676 East Indies)
Artist: Follower of Jan Victors (Amsterdam, 1620–1676 East Indies)
Title: Market Day with Vendors Selling Chickens
Date: 17th Century
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 53.0 x 41.0 cm (20 7/8 x 16 1/8 in), framed: 72.0 x 60.0 x 5.0 cm (28 5/16 x 23 5/8 x 2 in)
Provenance:
– Sanford Alderfer Auction, Hatfield, Pennsylvania
– Bonhams Skinner, Discovery Auction, October 2024 (Lot 18)
Restoration: Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration, Chicago, IL (2024)
Framing: Original antique frame, restored by Art Post Gallery, Northbrook, IL
A Glimpse into Dutch Golden Age Daily Life
This Jan Victors style painting, Market Day with Vendors Selling Chickens, vividly captures a bustling town square during the 17th century. Created by a follower of Jan Victors, the composition reflects his narrative focus on ordinary people rather than religious or mythological scenes. In this case, a group of vendors display chickens for sale while locals examine the goods and negotiate.
Each figure enhances the rhythm of the scene. Their gestures, attire, and expressions invite the viewer into a moment of exchange and community. The standing vendor leans in, offering a bird, while the buyer counts coins with care. Meanwhile, the other figures anchor the composition, adding texture and visual weight.
The artist uses warm earth tones and detailed brushwork to establish authenticity. Light strategically falls across the central group, guiding the viewer’s attention and enhancing contrast. As a result, the scene feels both immediate and atmospheric.
Conservation and Attribution
The painting was expertly conserved by Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration, ensuring its structural integrity and visual clarity. Additionally, its antique frame was restored by Art Post Gallery, preserving the work’s historical context. For attribution, high-resolution images were reviewed by the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD), providing an added layer of scholarly insight.
Explore more Dutch Golden Age paintings in our gallery.