Aert Shouman. A Turkey Startling Chickens. 1775.

SHOUMAN, Aert (Dutch, 1710-1792).A Turkey Startling Chickens.Black chalk, watercolor, pen and ink.Signed verso: "A Schouman na Hondecoeter".ca. 1775.8 3/4" x 6 13/16" sheet, 16" x 13 1/2" framed.Schouman’s notes on the verso indicate he based his work on a composition by Melchoir d’Hondecoeter. Aert Schouman was a prolific artist who specialized in flower painting and engraving on glass, but was foremost in the art of natural history painting. After training with F. Greenwood and Adriaen van den Burg, he became a master painter at The Hague in 1748, and three years later regent of the art academy. By 1762 he had been appointed principal of the academy and included among his pupils the great Dutch flower painter Jan van Os.Schouman was fortunate to receive royal patronage and completed many works for Prince Willem V at the summer palace of Het Loo, at Apeldoorn. The Prince owned a zoological cabinet and a menagerie which contained mammals, snakes and birds from various parts of the worl