This charming late 19th-century oil painting by Danish artist Herman Funch (1841-1919) depicts an upright turkey eagerly guarding her numerous white poults.
Funch was fascinated by animals and spent many years working the land as an agricultural apprentice. As a specialist, his oeuvre is a veritable farmyard. Sheep rest in ample pasture, chicks peep from woven baskets, sparrowhawks land, prey in claw.
And here, he’s turned his accomplished brush to the humble turkey as it stands upon a rustic bench. Keeping watch for predators while its timid young gather in two groups.
Signed/dated lower left and held within a gilt frame.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 15½” x 18½” / 36cm x 47cm
Year of creation: 1896
Labels & Inscriptions: Inscribed on reverse.
Provenance: Private collection, Denmark.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Old restorations. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £2,314
Herman Funch was an accomplished Danish painter of animals and landscapes. He trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and exhibited regularly at the Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition.
Learn more about Herman Funch in our directory.
We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.
