Concert of Birds - Frans Snyders
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A detailed Flemish Baroque study of various birds gathered around an owl conductor, showcasing the technical precision of Frans Snyders.
Frans Snyders, a master of the Flemish Baroque, specialised in large-scale animal and still-life compositions. This work, Concert of Birds, depicts a gathering of various avian species perched upon a gnarled tree. At the centre, an owl acts as a conductor, positioned above an open musical score. This anthropomorphic arrangement reflects the seventeenth-century fascination with fables and the moralising potential of animal behaviour.
Snyders demonstrates his technical skill through the precise rendering of plumage, from the iridescent feathers of the kingfisher to the soft down of the smaller songbirds. The composition is balanced, with the tree providing a structural anchor against a soft, atmospheric sky. The artist often collaborated with Peter Paul Rubens, and this influence is visible in the dynamic energy and the careful observation of natural forms. The painting functions as an encyclopaedic display of ornithological variety, common in the collections of the period, where art served to document the natural world alongside classical or literary themes.
Unlike the static nature of many scientific illustrations, Snyders imbues his subjects with individual character. The interaction between the birds, their varied postures, and the inclusion of the musical notation create a narrative quality. The palette remains grounded in natural earth tones, allowing the subtle variations in colour to define the different species. This print captures the fine detail of the original brushwork, preserving the texture of the bark and the delicate structure of the wings. It is a representative example of the Flemish tradition of animalier painting, where the observation of nature meets the theatricality of the Baroque period.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Concert of Birds - Frans Snyders
Artist Biography
Frans Snyders
He was born in Antwerp in 1579 and studied under Pieter Brueghel the Younger, though his painting style owed more to Brueghel's brother Jan ("Velvet Brueghel"), whose talent for rendering textures left a permanent mark. He may also have trained under Hendrik van Balen, who later taught Anthony van Dyck. A trip to Italy in 1608 to 1609 took him to Rome and Milan, where Cardinal Federico Borromeo became his patron.
Back in Antwerp, Snyders began collaborating with Peter Paul Rubens, a partnership that lasted from the 1610s until Rubens's death in 1640. Their brushwork was so close that contemporaries struggled to distinguish their contributions in shared canvases. Snyders painted roughly sixty hunting scenes and animal pieces after Rubens's designs, and added animal and still-life passages to Rubens's figure compositions. After Rubens died, Snyders served as one of the appraisers of his estate.
In 1611 he married Margaretha de Vos, sister of the painters Cornelis and Paul de Vos. He became dean of the Guild of Saint Luke in 1628 and bought a house on the fashionable Keizerstraat. His market scenes, hunt paintings and kitchen still lifes were compositions of Baroque excess: heaped game, overflowing fruit, dogs lunging at boar and deer. He died childless in 1657, at seventy-seven, leaving his fortune to his sister, a beguine.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like