Artwork Information

The Grand Duke or ‘Grand Duc’ is a common name for the stately Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo), one of the largest and most powerful owl species, known for its prominent ear tufts, razor-sharp talons and orange-red eyes. Growing to around 70 cm tall, with a wingspan of over 170 cm, it lives in diverse Eurasian habitats, from forests to rocky areas. A powerful apex predator, hunting birds such as eagle-owls were prized in European court hunting culture, which played an important role in international diplomacy in the 17th and 18th centuries. A king's perceived hunting prowess was often directly linked to his potential as a military commander.

This striking painting of an eagle-owl is more than just a scientific study: it endows the nocturnal subject, which would rarely have been observed in actual daylight, with such lively expression and character that it might better be described as a ‘portrait’. The ‘Grand Duke’ appears in bright daylight standing on a grassy knoll, still and upright, with a quizzical, slightly dazed expression. It grips the ground firmly with gleaming talons and ‘wears’ its mottled brown plumage with the aplomb of an aristocrat . While the painter remains unknown, he is thought to have been a highly skilled animalier painter from the elite circle of 18th French court artists who were retained to depict the exotic animals of the royal menagerie and cabinets de curiosité.