GERMAN MASTER (18TH CENTURY)

Oil on canvas. This pair of paintings was probably executed during the second half of the 18th century in southern Germany and used to adorn a hunting lodge or a noble estate. They take inspiration from painters such as Frans Snyders and Paul de Vos. The first painting depicts an angry bear being attacked by six hunting dogs. One of the dogs is wounded and lies on his back. The scene is set in a mountain forest with lush vegetation and rocks. In the second painting, four dogs battle with a wounded wolf that has bitten one of the dogs. The scene takes place on a flat stone next to a forest pond. The animals are surrounded by different species of trees, shrubs, and non-flowering plants. In the background is a mountainous landscape.