The Fox and the Turkey Hens - Jean-Baptiste Oudry

A detailed 1733 study by Jean-Baptiste Oudry, depicting a fox and turkeys in a nocturnal setting using chalk and wash on blue paper.

Jean-Baptiste Oudry, a master of animal painting during the French Rococo period, produced this work in 1733. It depicts a scene from the fables of Jean de La Fontaine, specifically illustrating the narrative of a fox observing poultry. The composition utilises a nocturnal setting, with the cool, blue-toned paper providing a base for the dramatic interplay of light and shadow.

Oudry employs black and white chalk alongside grey wash to define the forms of the fox and the turkeys. The fox is positioned in the foreground, looking upward towards the birds perched in a gnarled tree. A stone structure stands in the background, adding architectural depth to the scene. The artist's technical precision is evident in the rendering of the animal textures and the atmospheric quality of the night air.

This drawing demonstrates Oudry's ability to combine naturalistic observation with the theatricality common to eighteenth-century French art. His work often focused on the behaviour of animals, and here he captures a moment of tension between predator and prey. The use of blue paper was a deliberate choice, allowing the white chalk highlights to create a luminous effect that mimics moonlight. This piece is a fine example of the preparatory drawings that informed his larger oil paintings and tapestry designs. It reflects the period's interest in moralising fables and the detailed study of the natural world, presented with a refined, decorative sensibility.