GIORGIO DURANTI (1683–1768)

Oil on canvas. Giorgio Duranti was an Italian Baroque painter who worked mainly in Brescia, where he was originally from. He was interested in science and music and was known as an outstanding cello player. He specialized in floral still lifes, many of them donated to the church Palazzolo sull'Oglio, which sold the artwork to the Spanish royal court. The central theme of the image is a white rooster with a raised comb standing in the farmyard; to its left is a wicker basket. In addition to the rooster, there are also two chicks and a hen. The entire scene is immersed in darkness from which the highlighted figure of the rooster emerges.